Crianças e adolescentes com necessidades especiais de saúde: o cuidado nos serviços de atenção domiciliar / Niños y adolescentes con necesidades especiales de salud: cuidado en los servicios de atención a domicilio / Children and adolescents with special healthcare needs: care in home care services

RESUMO Objetivo descrever o cuidado prestado às crianças com necessidades especiais de saúde nos Serviços de Atenção Domiciliar do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. Métodos pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva e exploratória. Os participantes do estudo foram profissionais dos Serviços de Atenção Domiciliar do Mato Grosso do Sul. A coleta de dados se deu com a aplicação de dois formulários on-line, no período de 2019 a 2020. Um dos formulários tinha dados descritivos dos serviços e seus atendimentos; o outro se voltava para a validação de protocolo de fluxo de atenção domiciliar às crianças. Para análise de dados, utilizou-se a estatística descritiva. Resultados houve uma predominância de 25 crianças com paralisia cerebral, sendo que a maioria foi classificada como média complexidade, de acordo com a complexidade e as demandas de cuidados. Os profissionais realizam orientações, procedimentos e avaliação, além de serem responsáveis pelo treinamento da família. Os serviços não possuem protocolo de fluxo para atendimento das crianças. Conclusão Implicações para Prática embora os serviços apresentem capacidade de ampliação do atendimento e utilizem o Plano Terapêutico Singular, avanços na assistência às crianças e famílias ainda se fazem necessários. Recomenda-se a elaboração de protocolos de fluxo e propostas organizativas que auxiliem os profissionais em sua prática.

RESUMEN Objetivo Descrever a atención prestada a niños con necesidades especiales de salud en los Servicios de Atención Domiciliaria del Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. Métodos investigação cuantitativa, descritiva e exploratoria. Los participantes del estudio fueron profesionales de los servicios de atención domiciliaria de Mato Grosso do Sul. La recolección de datos ocurrió a través de la aplicación de dos formularios en línea, de 2019 a 2020, uno con datos descriptivos de los servicios y su atención y el otro para la validación del protocolo para el flujo de atención domiciliaria a los niños. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva para el análisis de datos. Resultados hubo un predominio de 25 niños con parálisis cerebral. La mayoría clasificó como mediana complejidad de acuerdo a la complejidad y demandas de atención. The professionals carry out lineamientos, procedures, evaluation and are responsible for training the family. Los servicios no cuentan con un protocolo de flujo para la atención de niños. Conclusion Implications for Practice Although the services have the capacity to expand care and use the Singular Therapeutic Plan, advances in the care of the child and the family are still needed. The development of flow protocols and organizational proposals that help professionals in their practice are recommended.

ABSTRACT Objective to describe the care provided to children with special health needs in the Home Care Services of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul - Brazil. Methods research, descriptive and exploratory. Study participants were professionals from home care services in Mato Grosso do Sul. Data collection took place through the application of two online forms, from 2019 to 2020, one containing descriptive data of the services and their care and the other for validation of the home care flow protocol for children. It was used for data analysis and descriptive statistics. Results there was a predominance of 25 children with brain flexibility. Most classified as complex average according to the complexity and demands of care. Professionals and guidelines, procedures, assessment are responsible for training the family. The services do not have a flow protocol for the care of children. Conclusion Implications for Practice Services Present ability to deliver care and use the care plan and single use, advances in child care and solutions may still be presented. There is a practice of elaborating flow protocols and organization proposals that help professionals in their.

Expert survey on coverage and characteristics of pediatric palliative care in Europe - a focus on home care.

BACKGROUND: For children with life-limiting conditions home care is a key component of pediatric palliative care. However, poor information is available on service coverage and in particular on country-specific pediatric palliative home care characteristics. The aim of the study was therefore to describe the association between pediatric palliative care coverage and national activities and obtain detailed information on the pediatric palliative home care structure in different European countries. METHODS: Online survey with in-country experts from N = 33 European countries. RESULTS: Pediatric palliative home care (65.6%) represented the most pediatric palliative care units (15.6%) and the least common services. National documents constituted the most widespread national pediatric palliative care activity (59.4%) and were associated with available services. Pediatric palliative home care could be mostly accessed as a service free of charge to families (95.2%) from the time of a child's diagnosis (85.7%). In most countries, oncological and non-oncological patients were cared for in pediatric palliative home care. Only a minority of home care teams covered home-ventilated children. Pediatric palliative home care usually comprised medical care (81.0%), care coordination (71.4%), nursing care (75.0%) and social support (57.1%). Most countries had at least two professional groups working in home care teams (81.0%), mostly physicians and nurses. In many countries, pediatric palliative home care was not available in all regions and did not offer a 24 h-outreach service. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric palliative care provision in Europe is heterogeneous. Further work on country-specific structures is needed.

The Heuristic Algorithm Optimization of Home Care Path Based on the Internet of Things Realizes Connected Medical Care.

Optimize the scheduling problem of family nursing staff according to the actual needs of the customers, combined with the psychological behavior characteristics of the participants, and use the path heuristic algorithm on home nursing service institutions, full-time nursing staff, and nursing customers. Taking this as the maximization of the three subjects as the ultimate goal of home caregiver optimization and scheduling, a path heuristic-based heuristic optimization and scheduling method (path heuristic algorithm, PHA). The effectiveness of this method is analyzed through examples, and finally, according to the experimental analysis results of the distribution, dominance, and convergence of the proposed PHA algorithm, the home caregiver optimization and scheduling method proposed in this paper can provide a more long-term scheduling method for enterprise companies.

Características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes ingresados en la Unidad de Hospitalización Domiciliaria del Hospital Regional de Talca durante el año 2019 / Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of the patients admitted to the Hospital at Home unit of the Regional Hospital of Talca during the year 2019

Introducción: La hospitalización domiciliaria nace como un servicio que proporciona intervenciones agudas, domiciliarias y complejas a corto plazo. En el Hospital Regional de Talca esta unidad tiene 7 años, este estudio busca determinar en la población que ingresa a la unidad, características clínicas y comorbilidades.Método:Estudio retrospectivo, analítico descriptivo, información recolectada mediante entrevista, se recolectan datos durante el año 2019, con un análisis descriptivo de las variables del estudio, las variables continuas se describieron como media y desviaciones estándar, las variables categóricas como frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes, para el análisis estadístico se usó Microsoft Excel 2016.Resultados:La Unidad de Hospitalización Domiciliaria durante el año 2019 ingresa 484 pacientes, representando un aumento del 233,8%. Dentro de las variables del estudio, el mes con más ingresos fue julio con 50 pacientes, la edad promedio son 64,9 años (DE 3,34 años), sexo femenino (60,95%), Casados (47,3%), no realizaban actividad física (76,5%), con Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) normal (34,7%), dentro de las comorbilidades tuvo mayor incidencia la hipertensión arterial (HTA) y diabetes mellitus (DM) con 329 y 209 diagnósticos respectivamente, la patología más derivada fueron las infecciones urinarias (32,2%).Conclusiones:el presente trabajo muestra la variabilidad de los pacientes ingresados, se redujeron los costos y la menor utilización de insumos médicos, mejora de la actividad física y reducción de la discapacidad adquirida, disminuye la readmisión, siendo una modalidad de atención eficaz, eficiente, segura, con una alta tasa de satisfacción sin mermar la calidad y la seguridad del paciente. (AU)

Introduction: Home hospitalization was born as a service that provides acute, home and complex interventions in the short term. In the Regional Hospital of Talca this unit is 7 years old, this study seeks to determine in the population that enters the unit, clinical characteristics and comorbidities.Method:Retrospective, descriptive analytical study, information collected by interview, data are collected during the year 2019, with a descriptive analysis of the study variables, continuous variables were described as mean and standard deviations, categorical variables as absolute frequencies and percentages, for the statistical analysis was used Microsoft Excel 2016Results:The Home Hospitalization Unit during 2019 admitted 484 patients, representing an increase of 233.8%. Within the study variables, the month with the most admissions was July with 50 patients, the average age was 64.9 years (SD 3.34 years), female (60.95%), Married (47.3%) , did not perform physical activity (76.5%), with normal BMI (34.7%), within the comorbidities, HT and DM had a higher incidence with 329 and 209 diagnoses respectively, the most derived pathology was urinary infections (32.2%).Conclusions:The present work shows the variability of admitted patients, reduced costs and less use of medical supplies, improved physical activity and reduced acquired disability, decreased readmission, being an effective, efficient, safe care modality, with a high satisfaction rate without compromising quality and patient safety. (AU)

Partner Care Arrangements and Well-Being in Mid- and Later Life: The Role of Gender Across Care Contexts.

OBJECTIVES: We assess gender moderation in the association between partner care arrangements and individuals' well-being, and the extent to which gender differences vary across European care contexts. METHODS: We use 2015 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe for 3,465 couples aged 50+, where at least 1 partner receives care. We assess gender differences in individuals' life satisfaction and depressive symptoms across 5 partner care arrangements: solo-; shared formal; shared informal; outsourced formal; and outsourced informal care. We explore heterogeneity in the gendered associations across 4 care contexts: Northern, Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe. RESULTS: Sharing care with formal providers is associated with lower well-being among women than men, with a significant well-being "penalty" among Southern European women with partners in shared formal care. Outsourcing partner care to informal providers is associated with higher well-being than other care arrangements for men across care contexts, but with lower well-being for women in Southern Europe. DISCUSSION: Policies to support caregivers' well-being need to be sensitive to the coordination of formal and informal caregiving support for men and women in their respective care contexts.

A Comparison of Home Health Utilization, Outcomes, and Cost Between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare.

BACKGROUND: Home health use is rising rapidly in the United States as the population ages, the prevalence of chronic disease increases, and older Americans express their desire to age at home. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans rather than Traditional Medicare (TM) has grown as well, from 13% of total Medicare enrollment in 2004 to 39% in 2020. Despite these shifts, little is known about outcomes and costs following home health in MA as compared with TM. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to measure the association of MA enrollment with outcomes and costs for patients using home health. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients enrolled in plans offered by 1 large, national MA organization and patients enrolled in TM, with at least 1 home health visit between January 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. EXPOSURE: MA enrollment. MAIN MEASURES: We compared the intensity of home health services and types of care delivered. The main outcome measures were hospitalization, the proportion of days in the home, and total allowed costs during the 180-day period following the first qualifying home health visit during the study period. KEY RESULTS: Among patients who used home health, our models demonstrated enrollment in MA was associated with 14%, and 6% decreased odds of 60- and 180-day hospitalization, respectively, a 12.8% and 14.7% decrease in medical costs exclusive and inclusive of home health costs, respectively, and a 0.27% increase in the proportion of days at home during the 180-day follow-up, equivalent to an additional half-day at home. There were few differences in home health care delivered for MA and TM [mean number of visits in the first episode of care (17.1 vs. 17.3) and mean visits per week (3.2 vs. 3.3)]. The mean number of visits by visit type and percent of patients with each type was similar between MA and TM as well. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with enrollment in TM, enrollment in MA was associated with improved patient-centered outcomes and lower cost and utilization, despite few differences in the way home health was delivered. These findings might be explained by structural components of MA that encourage better care management, but further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanisms by which MA enrollment may lead to higher value home health care.

Trends in Health Care Use and Spending for Young Children With Neurologic Impairment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Children with neurologic impairment (NI) are a growing subset of children who frequently use health care. We examined health care use and spending trends across services for children with NI during their first 5 years of life. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 13 947 children with NI in the multistate IBM Medicaid MarketScan Database (2009-2017). We established birth cohorts of children with NI and analyzed claims from birth to 5 years. NI, identified by using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, diagnosis codes, was defined as ≥1 neurologic diagnosis that was associated with functional and/or intellectual impairment. We measured annual health care use and per-member-per-year spending by inpatient, emergency department (ED), and outpatient services. Population trends in use and spending were assessed with logistic and linear regression, respectively. RESULTS: During their first versus fifth year, 66.8% vs 5.8% of children with NI used inpatient services, and 67.8% vs 44.4% used ED services. Annual use in both categories decreased over 0-5 years (inpatient odds ratio: 0.35, 95% confidence interval: 0.34 to 0.36; ED odds ratio: 0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.77 to 0.79). The use of outpatient services (primary care, specialty care, home health) decreased gradually. Per-member-per-year spending on inpatient services remained the largest spending category: $83 352 (90.2% of annual spending) in the first year and $1944 (25.5%) in the fifth year. CONCLUSIONS: For children with early-onset NI from 0-5 years, use and spending on inpatient services decreased dramatically; ED and outpatient service use decreased more gradually. These findings may help systems, clinicians, and families optimize care by anticipating and adjusting for shifting use of health care services.

A national Danish proof of concept on feasibility and safety of home -based intensive chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Technological advances have made it possible to offer home-based chemotherapy to patients without health care professionals being present. Prior studies on effects of home-based treatment lack inclusion of patients with hematologic malignancies. We present data from a multicenter single-arm feasibility and safety study of home-based intensive chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia and their quality of life and psychological wellbeing. This national study included patients from six sites in Denmark who received intensive chemotherapy on programmed CADD Solis infusion pumps through a central venous catheter and were also managed as outpatients during treatment-induced pancytopenia. Data are presented from 104 patients, receiving 272 treatments with 1.096 (mean 4.57, SD 3.0) home infusion days out of 1.644 treatment days (67 %). Sixty-two of 168 (36.9 %) reinduction and consolidation treatment cycles ensuing pancytopenia phases were solely handled in the outpatient clinic. Patients reported high satisfaction with home-based treatment, which had a positive influence on their ability to be involved in their treatment and be socially and physically active. No unexpected events occurred during the intervention. Overall, patients improved in all quality of life outcomes over time. Home-based intensive chemotherapy treatment was feasible and safe in this population. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04904211.

Home Treatment Compared to Initial Hospitalization in Normotensive Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism in the Netherlands: A Cost Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism constitutes substantial health care costs amounting to approximately 60 million euros per year in the Netherlands. Compared with initial hospitalization, home treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with a cost reduction. An accurate estimation of cost savings per patient treated at home is currently lacking. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare health care utilization and costs during the first 3 months after a PE diagnosis in patients who are treated at home versus those who are initially hospitalized. METHODS: Patient-level data of the YEARS cohort study, including 383 normotensive patients diagnosed with PE, were used to estimate the proportion of patients treated at home, mean hospitalization duration in those who were hospitalized, and rates of PE-related readmissions and complications. To correct for baseline differences within the two groups, regression analyses was performed. The primary outcome was the average total health care costs during a 3-month follow-up period for patients initially treated at home or in hospital. RESULTS: Mean hospitalization duration for the initial treatment was 0.69 days for those treated initially at home (n = 181) and 4.3 days for those initially treated in hospital (n = 202). Total average costs per hospitalized patient were €3,209 and €1,512 per patient treated at home. The adjusted mean difference was €1,483 (95% confidence interval: €1,181-1,784). CONCLUSION: Home treatment of hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE was associated with an estimated net cost reduction of €1,483 per patient. This difference underlines the advantage of triage-based home treatment of these patients.

Melhor em casa: caracterização dos serviços de atenção domiciliar / Es mejor en casa: caracterización de los servicios de atención domiciliaria / It is better at home: characterization of home care services

RESUMO Objetivo caracterizar os Serviços de Atenção Domiciliar em funcionamento na Paraíba. Método trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, exploratória, de abordagem quantitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada entre março e junho de 2020 com profissionais e coordenadores do Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar de 17 municípios paraibanos a partir da utilização de formulário no Google Forms enviado por correio eletrônico. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente por meio de frequências absolutas e relativas. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa. Resultados 14 equipes (61%) estavam em atividade de segunda a sexta-feira; 16 (69,6%) utilizavam o transporte assistencial compartilhado com outros serviços; 11 equipes (47,8%) não utilizavam prontuário eletrônico do paciente e, dentre as que utilizavam, o faziam no formato interligado à Rede de Atenção à Saúde ou em comunicação apenas com o Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar (34,8%; 17,4%). Quanto ao Projeto Terapêutico Singular, 13 equipes (56,5%) o elaboravam. O processo de referência e contrarreferência ocorria apenas na admissão e na alta em 19 equipes (82,6%). Conclusões e implicações para a prática evidenciou-se a necessidade de adequações no funcionamento do serviço e de melhorias nos recursos tecnológicos, comunicação e transporte a serem implementadas pela gestão pública para a qualificação da assistência domiciliar.

RESUMEN Objetivo caracterizar los Servicios de Atención Domiciliaria que operan en Paraíba. Método se trata de una investigación exploratoria y descriptiva, con enfoque cuantitativo. La recogida de datos tuvo lugar entre marzo y junio de 2020 con profesionales y coordinadores del Servicio de Atención Domiciliaria de 17 municipios de Paraíba mediante un formulario en Google Forms, enviado por correo electrónico. Los datos se analizaron estadísticamente utilizando frecuencias absolutas y relativas. El proyecto fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación. Resultados 14 equipos (61%) estaban activos de lunes a viernes; 16 (69,6%) utilizaban transporte asistencial compartido con otros servicios; se encontró que 11 equipos (47,8%) no utilizaron la historia clínica electrónica de los pacientes; y entre los que la utilizaron, los hacían en el formato conectado a la Red de Atención Sanitaria o en comunicación solo con el Servicio de Atención Domiciliaria (34,8%; 17,4%). En cuanto al Proyecto Terapéutico Singular, 13 equipos (56,5%) lo prepararon. El proceso de derivación y contraderivación ocurrió solo en la admisión y en el alta en 19 equipos (82,6%). Conclusiones e implicaciones para la práctica se evidenció la necesidad de ajustes en el funcionamiento del servicio, y de mejoras en los recursos tecnológicos, la comunicación y el transporte por parte de la administración pública para la cualificación de la atención domiciliaria.

ABSTRACT Objective to characterize the Home Care Services in operation in Paraíba. Method this is a descriptive, exploratory, quantitative research. Data collection was conducted between March and June 2020 with professionals and coordinators of Home Care Services in 17 municipalities of Paraiba using Google Forms sent by email. Data were statistically analyzed using absolute and relative frequencies. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results 14 teams (61%) were active from Monday to Friday; 16 (69.6%) used transportation of care shared with other services; 11 teams (47.8%) did not use electronic patient records and, among those who did, they did so in the format interconnected to the Health Care Network or in communication only with the Home Care Service (34.8%; 17.4%). As for the Singular Therapeutic Project, 13 teams (56.5%) prepared it. The reference and counter-reference process occurred only at admission and discharge in 19 teams (82.6%). Conclusions and implications for the practice it was evidenced the need for adjustments in the operation of the service and improvements in technological resources, communication and transportation to be implemented by public management for the qualification of home care.

Physical and psychological health at adolescence and home care use later in life.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relation between physical and psychological health indicators at adolescence (age 18) and household, personal, and nursing home care use later in life at ages 57-69 years. METHODS: Using medical examinations on men born in 1944-1947 who were evaluated for military service at age 18 in the Netherlands, we link physical and psychological health assessments to national administrative microdata on the use of home care services at ages 57-69 years. We postulate a panel probit model for home care use over these years. In the analyses, we account for selective survival through correlated panel probit models. RESULTS: Poor mental health and being overweight at age 18 are important predictors of later life home care use. Home care use at ages 57-69 years is also highly related to and interacts with father's socioeconomic status and recruits' education at age 18. DISCUSSION: Specific health characteristics identified at age 18 are highly related to the later utilization of home-care at age 57-69 years. Some characteristics may be amenable to early life health interventions to decrease the future costs of long-term home care.

Results of the home mechanical ventilation national program among adults in Chile between 2008 and 2017.

BACKGROUND: Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is a viable and effective strategy for patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF). The Chilean Ministry of Health started a program for adults in 2008. METHODS: This study examined the following data from a prospective cohort of patients with CRF admitted to the national HMV program: characteristics, mode of admission, quality of life, time in the program and survival. RESULTS: A total of 1105 patients were included. The median age was 59 years (44-58). Women accounted for 58.1% of the sample. The average body mass index (BMI) was 34.9 (26-46) kg/m2. A total of 76.2% of patients started HMV in the stable chronic mode, while 23.8% initiated HMV in the acute mode. A total of 99 patients were transferred from the children's program. There were 1047 patients on non-invasive ventilation and 58 patients on invasive ventilation. The median baseline PaCO2 level was 58.2 (52-65) mmHg. The device usage time was 7.3 h/d (5.8-8.8), and the time in HMV was 21.6 (12.2-49.5) months. The diagnoses were COPD (35%), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS; 23.9%), neuromuscular disease (NMD; 16.3%), non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis or tuberculosis (non-CF BC or TBC; 8.3%), scoliosis (5.9%) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; 5.24%). The baseline score on the Severe Respiratory Insufficiency questionnaire (SRI) was 47 (± 17.9) points and significantly improved over time. The lowest 1- and 3-year survival rates were observed in the ALS group, and the lowest 9-year survival rate was observed in the non-CF BC or TB and COPD groups. The best survival rates at 9 years were OHS, scoliosis and NMD. In 2017, there were 701 patients in the children's program and 722 in the adult´s program, with a prevalence of 10.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. CONCLUSION: The most common diagnoses were COPD and OHS. The best survival was observed in patients with OHS, scoliosis and NMD. The SRI score improved significantly in the follow-up of patients with HMV. The prevalence of HMV was 10.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Trial registration This study was approved by and registered at the ethics committee of North Metropolitan Health Service of Santiago, Chile (N° 018/2021).

Association of the Frequency of In-Home Care Services Utilization and the Probability of In-Home Death.

Importance: The provision of end-of-life care is an important policy issue associated with population aging around the world. Yet it is unclear whether the provision of in-home care services can allow patients the option of in-home death at end of life. Objective: To assess whether the frequent use of in-home care services can assist recipients to stay at home at the end of life. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study of older adults in Japan's long-term care insurance system used national claims data. Participants were long-term care insurance beneficiaries aged 65 years or over who died in 2015, excluding those who died due to external causes such as accidents. Data analyses were conducted from October to December 2020. Exposures: Mean days of in-home care service used per week from the first day of the month before the month of death to the date of death. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was whether the older person died at home (or not). To address lack of information on individual preference for place of death, we used an instrumental variable estimation with the full-time equivalent number of care workers providing in-home care services per older population at the municipality level in 2014. Results: Of the 572 059 decedents included in the study, 314 743 (55.0%) were women (median [IQR] age, 87 [81-91] years). The proportion of in-home deaths was 10.5% (60 175 decedents), and 81 675 decedents (14.3%) used in-home care services at least once prior to their death. Ordinary least squares and 2-stage least squares analyses both indicated that more frequent use of in-home care was associated with a higher probability of in-home deaths (ordinary least squares estimate, 5.0 percentage points; 95% CI, 4.9-5.1 points vs 2-stage least squares estimate, 3.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 2.3-4.9 points). Conclusions and Relevance: This retrospective cohort study using an instrumental variable approach demonstrated that more frequent use of in-home care services at the end of life was associated with a higher probability of in-home death. One policy implication of these results is that in order to meet the end-of-life preferences of patients, it is not only necessary to promote the provision of medical services at home but also to ensure an adequate supply of care workers.

Trends in Receipt of Help at Home After Hospital Discharge Among Older Adults in the US.

Importance: With declining use of institutional postacute care, more patients are going directly home after hospital discharge. The consequences on the amount of help needed at home after discharge are unknown. Objective: To estimate trends in the frequency and duration of receipt of help with activities of daily living (ADLs) among older adults discharged home. Design, Setting, and Participants: Repeated cross-sectional study of a national sample of community-dwelling older adults who returned home after hospital discharge from 2011 to 2017. Participants included respondents to National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), an annual population-based, nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries, who were 69 years or older and were discharged from an acute care hospital to home during the years of the study. A nationally representative sample was estimated using NHATS' analytic weights. Unweighted frequencies and weighted and unweighted percentages are reported. The analysis was conducted from September 2020 to October 2021. Exposures: Discharge from an acute care hospitalization. Main Outcomes and Measures: Receipt of help with ADLs during the 3 months after hospital discharge. Results: Of the 3591 survey participants who were discharged home from an acute care hospital during the study period, 53.3% were female, 54.8% were married or living with a partner, and the mean (SD) age was 78.5 (7.0) years. Of these, 1710 (44.1%) reported receiving help within 3 months of discharge. Compared with people not receiving help, those receiving help were older (mean [SD] years, 79.7 [7.5] years vs 77.6 [6.3] years), had worse self-rated health at baseline (47.1% with fair or poor health vs 26.5%) and were more likely to have dementia (21.8% vs 5.5%). The percentage of respondents who reported receiving help increased during the study period from 38.1% of hospital discharges in 2011 to 51.5% in 2017. For those who were independent in their ADLs before hospitalization, the percentage receiving help after discharge more than doubled over the study period increasing from 9.3% receiving help in 2011 to 31.8% in 2017. Among patients who did not receive Medicare-reimbursed home health, the percentage receiving help also increased from 22.1% to 28.1%. Among those who received help after discharge, the need for help slowly declined to prehospitalization levels over the ensuing 9 months. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, older adults' receipt of help at home after hospital discharge increased from 2011 to 2017, including patients relying on non-Medicare funded sources of care. As payers steer patients away from inpatient postacute care facilities, policymakers will need to pay attention to this shifting burden of care.

Initiation of domiciliary care and nursing home admission following first hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic diseases are at higher risk of requiring domiciliary and nursing home care, but how different chronic diseases compare in terms of risk is not known. We examined initiation of domiciliary care and nursing home admission among patients with heart failure (HF), stroke, COPD and cancer. METHODS: Patients with a first-time hospitalization for HF, stroke, COPD or cancer from 2008-2016 were identified. Patients were matched on age and sex and followed for five years. RESULTS: 111,144 patients, 27,786 with each disease, were identified. The median age was 69 years and two thirds of the patients were men. The 5-year risk of receiving domiciliary care was; HF 20.9%, stroke 25.2%, COPD 24.6% and cancer 19.3%. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios (HRs), with HF patients used as reference, were: stroke 1.35[1.30-1.40]; COPD 1.29[1.25-1.34]; and cancer 1.19[1.14-1.23]. The five-year incidence of nursing home admission was 6.6% for stroke, and substantially lower in patients with HF(2.6%), COPD(2.6%) and cancer (1.5%). The adjusted HRs were (HF reference): stroke, 2.44 [2.23-2.68]; COPD 1.01 [0.91-1.13] and cancer 0.76 [0.67-0.86]. Living alone, older age, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, depression and dementia predicted a higher likelihood of both types of care. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with HF, stroke, COPD or cancer 5-year risk of domiciliary care and nursing home admission, ranged from 19-25% and 1-7%, respectively. Patients with stroke had the highest rate of domiciliary care and were more than twice as likely to be admitted to a nursing home, compared to patients with the other conditions.

Pathways between caregiver body mass index, the home environment, child nutritional status, and development in children with severe acute malnutrition in Malawi.

Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) remain vulnerable after treatment at nutritional rehabilitation units (NRUs). The objective was to assess the concurrent pathways in a hypothesized model between caregiver body mass index (BMI), the home environment, and child nutritional status, and development (gross motor, fine motor, language, and social domains) in children with SAM following discharge from inpatient treatment. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed with data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial at the Moyo Nutritional Rehabilitation and Research Unit in Blantyre, Malawi. This approach was undertaken to explore simultaneous relationships between caregiver BMI, the home environment (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory scores), child nutritional status (anthropometric indicators including weight-for-age z-scores [WAZ]), and child development (Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT) z-scores as a latent variable) in children with SAM. These data were collected at participants' homes six months after discharge from NRU treatment. This analysis included 85 children aged 6-59 months with SAM and their caregivers recruited to the trial at the NRU and followed up successfully six months after discharge. The model with WAZ as the nutritional indicator fit the data according to model fit indices (χ2 = 28.92, p = 0.42). Caregiver BMI was predictive of better home environment scores (ß = 0.23, p = 0.03) and child WAZ (ß = 0.30, p = 0.005). The home environment scores were positively correlated with MDAT z-scores (ß = 0.32, p = 0.001). Child nutritional status based on WAZ was also correlated with MDAT z-scores (ß = 0.37, p<0.001). This study demonstrates that caregiver BMI could ultimately relate to child development in children with SAM, through its links to the home environment and child nutritional status.

Japanese National Dementia Plan Is Associated with a Small Shift in Location of Death: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Japan has one of the highest percentages of persons with dementia and hospital deaths in the world. Hospitals are often not equipped to handle the care complexity required for persons with dementia at the end of life. The National Dementia Orange plan aimed to decrease hospital deaths by expanding time in the community. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the National Dementia Orange Plan is associated with a decrease in hospitals deaths for persons with dementia. METHODS: We used quarterly, cross-sectional, national death certificate data consisting of the total Japanese dementia population 65 years and older, spanning a period from 2009 to 2016. The primary outcome was quarterly adjusted relative risk rates (aRRR) of dying in hospital, nursing home, home, or elsewhere. An interrupted time series analysis was performed to study the slope change over time. Analyses were adjusted for sex and seasonality. RESULTS: 149,638 died with dementia. With the implementation of the Orange Plan, death in nursing home (aRRR 1.08, [1.07-1.08], p < 0.001) and elsewhere (aRRR 1.05, [1.05-1.06], p < 0.001) increased over time compared to hospital death. No changes were found in death at home. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the National Dementia Orange plan was associated with a small increase in death in nursing home and elsewhere. Hospital death remained the primary location of death. End-of-life strategies should be expanded in national dementia policies to increase aging in the community until death.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in a non-hospitalized cohort: Results from the Arizona CoVHORT.

Clinical presentation, outcomes, and duration of COVID-19 has ranged dramatically. While some individuals recover quickly, others suffer from persistent symptoms, collectively known as long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Most PASC research has focused on hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe disease. We used data from a diverse population-based cohort of Arizonans to estimate prevalence of PASC, defined as experiencing at least one symptom 30 days or longer, and prevalence of individual symptoms. There were 303 non-hospitalized individuals with a positive lab-confirmed COVID-19 test who were followed for a median of 61 days (range 30-250). COVID-19 positive participants were mostly female (70%), non-Hispanic white (68%), and on average 44 years old. Prevalence of PASC at 30 days post-infection was 68.7% (95% confidence interval: 63.4, 73.9). The most common symptoms were fatigue (37.5%), shortness-of-breath (37.5%), brain fog (30.8%), and stress/anxiety (30.8%). The median number of symptoms was 3 (range 1-20). Amongst 157 participants with longer follow-up (≥60 days), PASC prevalence was 77.1%.