Functioning and primary healthcare utilization in older adults: a 1-year follow-up study.

This study aimed to explore the association between aspects of disability and older adults' primary healthcare utilization and hospitalization over a period of 1 year. METHODS: Older adults (n = 129) were assessed for self-reported disability, lower limb performance, pain intensity and number of painful body sites, depressive symptoms, and self-reported physical activity. Data on primary healthcare utilization and hospitalization were collected for the period of 1 year through registries and phone interviews. RESULTS: Regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders, showed that self-reported disability and pain intensity were significantly associated with total primary healthcare utilization and together with a confounding variable (number of chronic conditions) explained 16% of its variance (p < 0.05). Increased physical activity was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of being admitted to hospital (95% CI for exponentiation (B) = 0.27-0.81). DISCUSSION: Data suggest that decreasing self-reported disability and increasing physical activity may decrease primary healthcare utilization and hospitalization, respectively. PMID: 29461129 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Physiotherapy Theory and Practice - Category: Physiotherapy Authors: Tags: Physiother Theory Pract Source Type: research