Health Outcomes of Older Adults after a Hospitalization for a Hip Fracture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.27.720Keywords:
Seniors, Hospital stay, Length of stay, Mortality, Alternate level of care, Time to surgeryAbstract
Background
Hip fractures in older adults often lead to adverse health outcomes, which may be related to time to surgery and longer hospital stays. The experience of older adults with hip fractures in New Brunswick is not known.
Methods
This was a retrospective observational study. All hip fracture patients 65 years of age and older admitted to one hospital designated as a Level One Trauma Centre between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2019 comprised the sample.
Results
The majority (86.5%) received surgery within 48 hours and those who had surgery beyond this time frame had a significantly longer stay in acute care (OR: 3.79, 95% CI: 2.05-7.15). The mean total length of stay (Total-LOS) for patients discharged after their acute care needs were met was 9.8 days (SD=8.1) compared to patients experiencing delays in discharge for nonmedical reasons which was 26.3 days (SD=33.7). An extended stay in acute care (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.09-3.43) and increasing age (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.001-1.06) were associated with a higher likelihood of death at one year post-discharge. Time to surgery beyond 24 hours (OR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.13-7.38) was associated with a higher likelihood of death 30 days post-discharge.
Conclusions
Most patients had surgery within the national benchmark of less than 48 hours. The Total-LOS increased 2.5-fold in patients who remained in hospital after their acute care needs were met. A better understanding of patient characteristics, such as frailty, may better predict patients at risk for longer hospital stays and adverse health outcomes.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to the Candian Geriatrics Journal retain copyright of their work, with exclusive publication rights granted to the Canadian Geriatrics Society upon article acceptance. Read the journal's full copyright and open access policy.