title: Residential characteristics, social factors, and mortality among adults with intellectual disabilities: transitions out of nursing homes.
abstract: The present study examined the degree to which residential characteristics and social factors are associated with mortality, after controlling for personal characteristics, among adults with intellectual disabilities who have resided in nursing homes (facilities providing skilled care and related services) at baseline in the Chicago area. Initial assessments were conducted on 330 residents, and 2 follow ups were performed over 10 years. Seventy-one residents had died by the end of the study. The variables examined included personal characteristics of age, gender, intellectual level, health, and adaptive behavior; residential characteristics of type of residence, size of facility, attractiveness of physical environment (cleanliness, conditions, and aesthetic appeal), and diversity of physical environment (personalization of residents' rooms and distinctiveness of all living spaces); and social factors of family involvement and community integration. The results indicated, beyond age, adaptive behavior, and health, that size of residences, residential characteristics, and social factors are related to mortality.
authors.affiliation: Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612-4394, USA. hsieh@uic.edu
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freels
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002641:Chicago; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006276:Health Facility Size; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000401:mortality*; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis