title: Predictors of quality in rural nursing homes using standard and novel methods.
abstract: We examined the effect of market and organizational characteristics on nursing home quality as measured by deficiencies (number and weighted) on states in a rural region of the United States. Rural nursing homes in five Mountain West states (N = 161) were sampled from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting system between January 1, 2004 and June 15, 2005. State comparisons indicated that rural nursing homes in Nevada had a higher number of deficiencies and weighted deficiency score as compared with Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. Using regression analyses, we found that a higher percentage of licensed practical nurses in the staffing mix were predictive of a greater number of deficiencies. Nursing homes with more beds or higher Medicaid occupancy had higher weighted deficiency scores. Although rural Mountain West nursing homes average a similar number of deficiencies as nursing homes nationwide, these nursing homes had a greater number of serious deficiencies and higher weighted deficiency scores, suggesting greater actual harm to resident health and safety.
authors: Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA. towsley@nurs.utah.edu
authors: Gail L
authors: GL
authors: Towsley
authors: Susan L
authors: SL
authors: Beck
authors: Ginette A
authors: GA
authors: Pepper
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards*