Factors associated with emergency department revisits among older adults in two Swedish regions : A prospective cohort study

• ObjectivesTo assess the association between baseline characteristics at an index ED visit and ED revisit within 30 days among adults aged ≥ 65 years in two Swedish regions.MethodsThis was a register-based prospective cohort study. The sample included (N=16 688; N=101 017) older adults who have had an index ED visit in 2014 at hospital based EDs in the regions of Dalarna and Stockholm, Sweden. Several registers were linked to obtain information on sociodemographic factors, living conditions, social care, polypharmacy and health care use. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the data.ResultsSeventeen percent of the study sample in Dalarna and 20.1% in Stockholm revisited ED within 30 days after an index ED visit. In both regions, male gender, being in the last year of life, excessive polypharmacy (≥ 10 drugs), ≥11 primary care visits and ED care utilization were positively associated with ED revisits. In Stockholm, but not in Dalarna, low level of education, polypharmacy, and institutional care was also associated with ED revisits. In contrast, home help was associated with ED revisits in Dalarna but not in Stockholm.ConclusionThese findings call for further in-depth examinations of variations within single countries. ED revisits among older adults are driven by need of care but also by the social and care situation.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Emergency department

Care utilisation

Older adults

Health and social care

Primary care

Varför söker äldre personer akutsjukvård? Orsaker, omständigheter och förklaringar

Varför söker äldre personer akutsjukvård? Orsaker, omständigheter och förklaringar

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)