title: The woodwork effect: estimating it and controlling the damage.
abstract: Many patients in home- and community-based services (HCBS) are not people who, without HCBS, would be in nursing homes. Those attracted to HCBS tend to be people who are younger, better supported, less dependent, and more mentally intact than their nursing home counterparts. Studies show that only about a quarter of the clients selected as likely to enter nursing homes within the coming year are likely to do so, even though they receive no HCBS. Of the 43 studies reported, more than two-thirds had rates of control group nursing home admission of less than 20%. Most patients would also be likely to have experienced only a short nursing home stay even if they were admitted. The result: Receiving HCBS reduced nursing home use rates on average by only a small percentage, not enough to offset the costs of HCBS. Moreover, both older and more recent studies show only small to insignificant effects on most adverse patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Political Science, Faculty Associate, Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, Director, Masters of Public Health Degree Program, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA. wweissert@fsu.edu
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Weissert
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frederick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D017046:Cost Savings; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000191:economics*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008484:Medicaid; D016743:Mental Competency; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000191:economics*; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States