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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research article

Frailty status changes are associated with healthcare utilization and subsequent mortality in the elderly population

Authors: Chia-Ming Li, Chih-Hsueh Lin, Chia-Ing Li, Chiu-Shong Liu, Wen-Yuan Lin, Tsai-Chung Li, Cheng-Chieh Lin

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

This study determined (1) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up is associated with healthcare utilization and evaluated (2) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up and health care utilization are associated with all-cause mortality in a sample of Taiwan population.

Methods

This work is a population-based prospective cohort study involving residents aged ≥65 years in 2009. A total of 548 elderly patients who received follow-ups in the subsequent year were included in the current data analysis. Fried frailty phenotype was measured at baseline and 1 year. Information on the outpatient visits of each specialty doctor, emergency care utilization, and hospital admission during the 2 month period before the second interview was collected through standardized questionnaires administered by an interviewer. Deaths were verified by indexing to the national database of deaths.

Results

At the subsequent 1 year follow-up, 73 (13.3%), 356 (64.9%), and 119 (21.7%) elderly participants exhibited deterioration, no change in status, and improvement in frailty states, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis showed the high risk of any type of outpatient use (odds ratios [OR] 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–3.71) among older adults with worse frailty status compared with those who were robust at baseline and had unchanged frailty status after 1 year. After multivariate adjustment, participants with high outpatient clinic utilization had significantly higher mortality than those with low outpatient clinic visits among unchanged pre-frail or frail (hazard ratios [HR] 2.79, 95% CI: 1.46–5.33) and frail to pre-frail/robust group (HR 9.32, 95% CI: 3.82–22.73) if the unchanged robustness and low outpatient clinic visits group was used as the reference group.

Conclusions

The conditions associated with frailty status, either after 1 year or at baseline, significantly affected the outpatient visits and may have increased medical expenditures. Combined change in frailty status and number of outpatient visits is related to increased mortality.

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Title: Frailty status changes are associated with healthcare utilization and subsequent mortality in the elderly population
Authors: Chia-Ming Li
Chih-Hsueh Lin
Chia-Ing Li
Chiu-Shong Liu
Wen-Yuan Lin
Tsai-Chung Li
Cheng-Chieh Lin
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10688-x

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Frailty status changes are associated with healthcare utilization and subsequent mortality in the elderly population

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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