scholarly journals The risk of fall-related hospitalisations at entry into permanent residential aged care

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria C. Inacio ◽  
Max Moldovan ◽  
Craig Whitehead ◽  
Janet K. Sluggett ◽  
Maria Crotty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Risk Prediction Models ◽  
Health Care Data ◽  
Related Hospitalisation ◽  
Risk Of Fall

Abstract Background Entering permanent residential aged care (PRAC) is a vulnerable time for individuals. While falls risk assessment tools exist, these have not leveraged routinely collected and integrated information from the Australian aged and health care sectors. Our study examined individual, system, medication, and health care related factors at PRAC entry that are predictors of fall-related hospitalisations and developed a risk assessment tool using integrated aged and health care data. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on N = 32,316 individuals ≥65 years old who entered a PRAC facility (01/01/2009-31/12/2016). Fall-related hospitalisations within 90 or 365 days were the outcomes of interest. Individual, system, medication, and health care-related factors were examined as predictors. Risk prediction models were developed using elastic nets penalised regression and Fine and Gray models. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) assessed model discrimination. Results 64.2% (N = 20,757) of the cohort were women and the median age was 85 years old (interquartile range 80-89). After PRAC entry, 3.7% (N = 1209) had a fall-related hospitalisation within 90 days and 9.8% (N = 3156) within 365 days. Twenty variables contributed to fall-related hospitalisation prediction within 90 days and the strongest predictors included fracture history (sub-distribution hazard ratio (sHR) = 1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63-2.15), falls history (sHR = 1.41, 95%CI 1.21-2.15), and dementia (sHR = 1.39, 95%CI 1.22-1.57). Twenty-seven predictors of fall-related hospitalisation within 365 days were identified, the strongest predictors included dementia (sHR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.24-1.50), history of falls (sHR = 1.30, 95%CI 1.20-1.42) and fractures (sHR = 1.28, 95%CI 1.15-1.41). The risk prediction models had an AUC of 0.71 (95%CI 0.68-0.74) for fall-related hospitalisations within 90 days and 0.64 (95%CI 0.62-0.67) for within 365 days. Conclusion Routinely collected aged and health care data, when integrated at a clear point of action such as entry into PRAC, can identify residents at risk of fall-related hospitalisations, providing an opportunity for better targeting risk mitigation strategies.

scholarly journals DOMICILIARY SERVICES IMPROVE ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S492-S492
Author(s):  
Mathew A Lim ◽  
Gelsomina L Borromeo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Dental Services ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities

Abstract There is growing evidence demonstrating links between oral diseases and general health. The increased retention of teeth among functionally-dependent older adults presents a unique challenge in maintaining the oral health of these individuals from basic oral hygiene to accessing dental services. The results of our cross-sectional study demonstrate the important role domiciliary dental services play in reducing the barriers to accessing oral health care in this cohort. In our study, most individuals treated by domiciliary services lived in residential aged care facilities and were significantly older than those treated by hospital and community-based dental services dedicated to the specialized care of individuals with additional health care needs. A significantly higher number of those receiving domiciliary care were unable to self-consent for treatment compared to those managed in other settings. 27.4% of these patients had a diagnosis of dementia. More than half (56.9%) of patients treated by domiciliary services received some form of treatment with almost half (48.1%) of these requiring a dental extraction. Only two of these patients were not diagnosed with a chronic condition known to affect oral health (dementia, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, stroke, osteoporosis). 23.7% of domiciliary appointments were used for denture fabrication. The results depict the worrying level of unmet treatment need in residents of aged care facilities. However, they also demonstrate the potential for domiciliary dental services to play a role in developing partnerships between carers and oral health professionals to improve the oral health of functionally-dependent older adults.

scholarly journals A Review on Automatic Mammographic Density and Parenchymal Segmentation

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenda He ◽  
Arne Juette ◽  
Erika R. E. Denton ◽  
Arnau Oliver ◽  
Robert Martí ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Risk Prediction ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Clinical Environment ◽  
Tissue Segmentation ◽  
Risk Prediction Models ◽  
The Impact

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. However, the exact cause(s) of breast cancer still remains unknown. Early detection, precise identification of women at risk, and application of appropriate disease prevention measures are by far the most effective way to tackle breast cancer. There are more than 70 common genetic susceptibility factors included in the current non-image-based risk prediction models (e.g., the Gail and the Tyrer-Cuzick models). Image-based risk factors, such as mammographic densities and parenchymal patterns, have been established as biomarkers but have not been fully incorporated in the risk prediction models used for risk stratification in screening and/or measuring responsiveness to preventive approaches. Within computer aided mammography, automatic mammographic tissue segmentation methods have been developed for estimation of breast tissue composition to facilitate mammographic risk assessment. This paper presents a comprehensive review of automatic mammographic tissue segmentation methodologies developed over the past two decades and the evidence for risk assessment/density classification using segmentation. The aim of this review is to analyse how engineering advances have progressed and the impact automatic mammographic tissue segmentation has in a clinical environment, as well as to understand the current research gaps with respect to the incorporation of image-based risk factors in non-image-based risk prediction models.

Public sector residential aged care: identifying novel associations between quality indicators and other demographic and health-related factors

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten J. Moore ◽  
Colleen J. Doyle ◽  
Trisha L. Dunning ◽  
Ann T. Hague ◽  
Lucas A. Lloyd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Risk Of Falling ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Health Related

Objective To explore associations among quality indicators (QI; e.g. pressure ulcers, falls and/or fractures, physical restraint, use of multiple medications, unplanned weight loss) of the Victorian Public Sector Residential Aged Care Services (VPSRACS) with other demographic and health-related factors. Methods Data for 380 residents over a 3-month period were extracted retrospectively from client databases at four VPSRAC facilities. Results Four significant logistic regression models were developed. The strongest models related to falls and polypharmacy. Significant associations for these models included the following: (1) residents with a higher body mass index were 6% less likely (95% confidence interval (CI) 1%–11%) to fall, whereas high levels of cognitive impairment increased the risk of falling by 8% (95% CI 2%–14%); (2) being ambulant with a gait aid more than doubled the risk of falling compared with non-ambulant residents (95% CI 19%–546%); and (3) higher cognitive impairment was associated with a 6% (95% CI 1%–11%) reduction in the likelihood of polypharmacy. Conclusions Identification of significant relationships between the VPSRACS QI and other demographic and health-related factors is a preliminary step towards a more in-depth understanding of the factors that influence the QI and predict adverse events. What is known about the topic? Currently, the VPSRACS report on five QI. Previous research has shown associations between several of these indicators, but not all. What does this paper add? This paper examines associations between the five VPSRAC QI as well as other key demographic and health-related factors. Novel findings from regression analyses included an increased risk of falls associated with recommended body mass index and using gait aids, but no association between pressure ulcers and the Norton score. Regression models for other QI were limited by the small occurrences of the QI. However, significant associations were identified indicating that residents using a gait aid had a lower level of unplanned weight loss and residents with polypharmacy had higher unplanned weight loss. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper reinforces the value of collecting VPSRAC QI data to enable facilities to consider how these variables could impact on care quality and to proactively plan to reduce the risk of adverse events. Although QI data can be used to benchmark with other settings, this paper shows how QI data can be used to inform practice within a facility and help identify patient-related factors that may warrant further investigation.

scholarly journals The angiostatic peptide endostatin enhances mortality risk prediction in pulmonary arterial hypertension

2021 ◽  
pp. 00378-2021
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Simpson ◽  
Megan Griffiths ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
Melanie K. Nies ◽  
R. Dhananjay Vaidya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Risk Prediction ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Independent Predictor ◽  
Right Atrial ◽  
Risk Prediction Models ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial

Currently available noninvasive markers for assessing disease severity and mortality risk in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are unrelated to fundamental disease biology. Endostatin, an angiostatic peptide known to inhibit pulmonary artery endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and survival in vitro, has been linked to adverse hemodynamics and shortened survival in small PAH cohorts. This observational cohort study sought to assess 1) the prognostic performance of circulating endostatin levels in a large, multicenter PAH cohort, and 2) the added value gained by incorporating endostatin into existing PAH risk prediction models.Endostatin ELISAs were performed on enrollment samples collected from 2017 PAH subjects with detailed clinical data, including survival times. Endostatin associations with clinical variables, including survival, were examined using multivariable regression and Cox proportional hazards models. Extended survival models including endostatin were compared to null models based on the REVEAL risk prediction tool and ESC/ERS low risk criteria using likelihood ratio tests, Akaike and Bayesian information criteria, and C-statistics.Higher endostatin was associated with higher right atrial pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance and with shorter six-minute walk distance (p<0.01). Mortality risk doubled for each log-higher endostatin (hazard ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 3.4, p<0.001). Endostatin remained an independent predictor of survival when incorporated into existing risk prediction models. Adding endostatin to REVEAL-based and ESC/ERS criteria-based risk assessment strategies improved mortality risk prediction.Endostatin is a robust, independent predictor of mortality in PAH. Adding endostatin to existing PAH risk prediction strategies improves PAH risk assessment.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document