title: Factors associated with geriatric syndromes in older homeless adults.
abstract: Although older homeless adults have high rates of geriatric syndromes, risk factors for these syndromes are not known. We used multivariable regression models to estimate the association of subject characteristics with the total number of geriatric syndromes in 250 homeless adults aged 50 years and older. Geriatric syndromes included falls, cognitive impairment, frailty, major depression, sensory impairment, and urinary incontinence. A higher total number of geriatric syndromes was associated with having less than a high school education, medical comorbidities (diabetes and arthritis), alcohol and drug use problems, and difficulty performing one or more activities of daily living. Clinicians who care for older homeless patients with these characteristics should consider screening them for geriatric syndromes. Moreover, this study identifies potentially modifiable risk factors associated with the total number of geriatric syndromes in older homeless adults. This knowledge may provide targets for clinical interventions to improve the health of older homeless patients.
authors.affiliation: San Francisco Veterans AffairsMedical Center, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA. rebecca.brown@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Rebecca T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Dan K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kiely
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bharel
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013577:Syndrome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology