Influence of Care Network Characteristics on Physician Visit Experiences for Black, White, and Hispanic Older Adults With Dementia.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
; 78(Suppl 1): S59-S70, 2023 03 13.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36205710
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Most older adults with dementia are assisted by multiple caregivers, but the relationship of care network structure with health care access and quality is underexamined. We sought to test the associations of care network characteristics with the physician visit experience for older adults with dementia across diverse racial/ethnic groups.METHODS:
We used data on Medicare beneficiaries (aged 65+) with dementia from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2015-2019) to fit logistic regression models to test associations between physician visit outcomes and (a) size of the potential care network and (b) proportion of potential care network members (PCNMs) currently helping with daily functioning tasks. We also tested for modifications by race/ethnicity.RESULTS:
Hispanic respondents had the largest potential care networks (M = 6.89, standard deviation [SD] = 3.58) and the smallest proportion of PCNMs providing help with daily functioning (M = 29.89%, SD = 22.29). In models adjusted for demographics and dementia classification, both network size and proportional involvement of PCNMs were positively associated with the presence of a PCNM and assistance during the visit. Associations remained significant at 4-year follow-up for the presence of PCNM at the visit and were robust to further adjustments for insurance type, income, and health factors. Associations were not modified by race/ethnicity.DISCUSSION:
Larger networks and a higher proportion of PCNMs providing assistance predicted caregiver presence and assistance at the physician visit but not access to care. Findings suggest that strengthening care networks early in the disease may support improved health care outcomes for persons with dementia across diverse populations.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Delivery of Health Care
/
Dementia
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Aspects:
Equity_inequality
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Journal subject:
CIENCIAS SOCIAIS
/
GERIATRIA
/
PSICOLOGIA
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: