title: Health-related factors associated with hospitalization for old people: comparisons of elderly aged 85 in a population cohort study.
abstract: The aim of this population-based study was to (1) describe living conditions and actual health care utilization among 85 year olds; (2) determine factors that affect hospital admissions in this age. The study was conducted on 85-year-old residents in Linköping municipality, Sweden. The data collected included medical records, health care utilization during the preceding 12 months and a postal questionnaire on assistance, assistive technology, functional impairment, feelings of loneliness, worries and health-related quality of life measured by the EQ-5D. Out of 650 eligible individuals, 496 (78% of those alive) participated. Despite the prevalence of multi-morbidity (68%) and mental discomfort, the majority managed self-care (85%), usual activities (74%) and had high (>60/100) self-rated health evaluated by a visual analog scale (VAS). The non-hospitalized group reported a better health status than the hospitalized group in terms of medical aspects, living conditions and subjective estimation. Factors associated with in-patient care were an increased number of general practitioner visits, more assistive technology, community assistance, multimorbidity and/or diagnosed congestive heart failure and arrhythmia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospital, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nägga
authors.forename: Huan-Ji
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcusson
authors.forename: Sabina Olin
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Skoglund
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wressle
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology