Factors influencing older adults to complete advance directives.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors which influence advance directive (AD) completion among older adults. METHOD: Direct interviews of hospitalized and community-dwelling cognitively intact patients > 65 years of age were conducted in three tertiary teaching settings in New York. Analysis of AD completion focused on its correlation with demographics, personal beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, and exposure to educational media initiatives. We identified five variables with loadings of at least 0.30 in absolute value, along with five demographic variables (significant in the univariate analyses) for multiple logistic regression. The backward elimination method was used to select the final set of jointly significant predictor variables. RESULTS: Of the 200 subjects consenting to an interview, 125 subjects (63%) had completed ADs. In comparing groups with and without ADs, gender (p < 0.0002), age (p < 0.0161), race (p < 0.0001), education (p < 0.0039), and religion (p < 0.0104) were significantly associated with having an AD. Factors predicting AD completion are: thinking an AD will help in the relief of suffering at the end of life, (OR 76.3, p < 0.0001), being asked to complete ADs/ or receiving explanation about ADs (OR 55.2, p < 0.0001), having undergone major surgery (OR 6.3, p < 0.0017), female gender (OR 11.1, p < 0.0001) and increasing age (76-85 vs. 59-75: OR 3.4, p < 0.0543; < 85 vs. 59-75: OR 6.3, p < 0.0263). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: This study suggests that among older adults, the probability of completing ADs is related to personal requests by health care providers, educational level, and exposure to advance care planning media campaigns.

Acute kidney injury from pyelonephritis in an elderly man: case report.

Pyelonephritis is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of acute kidney injury. Acute non-obstructed bacterial pyelonephritis is an infrequent and rarely considered cause of rapidly progressive acute kidney injury. A diagnostic challenge thus develops as it is difficult to clinically differentiate acute kidney injury secondary to ischemic or toxic acute tubular necrosis or papillary necrosis versus acute interstitial nephritis secondary to drugs or infectious pyelonephritis. We describe a case of acute kidney injury due to suppurative pyelonephritis in an elderly immunocompetent man who presented with dysuria, vomiting, and fever and later found to have histologic and radiologic proven pyelonephritis as the cause of acute kidney injury in the absence of hypotension, nephrotoxic agents, non-steroidal analgesics, immunosuppression, urinary tract obstruction, or other structural anomalies. The patient was managed with antimicrobial therapy, hemodialysis, and a short course of corticosteroids.

Hand hygiene in long-term care facilities: a multicenter study of knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers.

An anonymous survey of 1143 employees in 17 nursing facilities assessed knowledge of, attitudes about, self-perceived compliance with, and barriers to implementing the 2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hand hygiene guidelines. Overall, employees reported positive attitudes toward the guidelines but differed with regard to knowledge, compliance, and perceived barriers. These findings provide guidance for practice improvement programs in long-term care settings.