Predictors of health decline in older adults with pneumonia: findings from the Community Acquired Pneumonia Impact Study

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to identify predictors of health decline among older adults with clinically diagnosed community acquired pneumonia (CAP). It was hypothesized that older adults with CAP who had lower levels of social support would be more likely to report a decline in health.MethodsA telephone survey was used to collect detailed information from older adults about their experiences with CAP. A broader determinants of health framework was used to guide data collection. This was a community wide study with participants being recruited from all radiology clinics in one Ontario community.ResultsThe most important predictors of a health decline included: two symptoms (no energy; diaphoresis), two lifestyle variables (being very active; allowing people to smoke in their home), one quality of life variable (little difficulty in doing usual daily activities) and one social support variable (having siblings).ConclusionsA multiplicity of factors was found to be associated with a decline in health among older adults with clinically diagnosed CAP. These findings may be useful to physicians, family caregivers and others for screening older adults and providing interventions to help ensure positive health outcomes.

Functional Disability, Cognitive Impairment, and Depression After Hospitalization for Pneumonia

“…Older adults hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for pneumonia have reported diminished quality of life, 5,6 though reasons why are unclear. Survivors of critical illnesses are at risk for incident cognitive and functional impairment, 7 and have high rates of depression.…”

Effect of cognitive and executive functions on perception of quality of life of cognitively normal elderly people dwelling in residential aged care facilities in Sri Lanka

“…Davis et al, [20] has shown an independent association between WM and health related QoL but not with inhibition. They have suggested further research on contribution of response inhibition to health related QoL to understand it better.…”

“…Most of the previous studies have focused their attention on association between health related QoL and cognition [20, 21] but not with perception of QoL. Furthermore, the effect of cognition, including EFs on the QoL dimensions, had been inconsistent among different studies [17, 19].…”

Malnutrition in Stroke Patients: Risk Factors, Assessment, and Management

“…On admission polypharmacy, eating difficulties, chronic diseases, functional disabilities, and high National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) are associated with high risk of malnutrition in the elderly (11, 22). Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and stroke history increased the risk of malnutrition on admission by 58% and 71%, respectively (9, 14).…”