title: Factors related to the mobility of hospitalized older adults: A prospective cohort study.
abstract: A low ambulation rate is common even among acutely ill hospitalized older adults. This prospective observational study conducted among 769 older adults (≥70) hospitalized in acute-care units tested the relationship of satisfaction with hospital environment, sleep-medication consumption, and in-hospital caloric intake to mobility levels during hospitalization on 3 consecutive hospitalization days. Approximately 20% of the patients did not walk, 30% walked only in their room, and 50% mobilized outside their room. A multinomial-logistic regression, controlling for potential intervening factors, showed that sleep-medication avoidance (AOR = 1.99; p < 0.01) and higher caloric intake (AOR = 9.69; p < 0.001) differentiated patients walking outside the room from non-walking patients. Satisfaction with the physical environment was lower in the non-mobile group than in the other two. Results suggest that hospital environment, sleep-medication consumption, and caloric intake during hospitalization need to be addressed in attempts to improve in-hospital mobility in older adults.
authors.affiliation: The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Israel. Electronic address: azisberg@univ.haifa.ac.il.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zisberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Israel.
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Syn-Hershko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000068776:Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D000068776:Sleep Aids, Pharmaceutical
keywords: Acute hospitalization; Caloric intake; In-hospital mobility; Older adult; Physical environment; Sleep medication