Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the frequency of Hospital Admission (HA) in the last twelve months in older adults treated at Primary Health Care (PHC) and its associated factors, through a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA).
Methods
Cross-sectional study, with a random sampling of 400 older adults using PHC. The frequency of HA for at least 24 hours was self-reported (yes; no). A sociodemographic and health survey was used, tools to evaluate basic and instrumental daily life activities, cognition, depression, falling, and fear of falling. The association of factors to HA was analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results
Mean age was 75.23 (±8,53), 63.2% of participants were female 62.6% reported a poor/fair state of health and 38% reported HA in the previous twelve months. Older patients, with a poor perceived health, chronic illnesses, daily use of medications, dependent for basic and instrumental daily life activities, cognitive impairment, and having fallen in the previous year demonstrated associations with hospitalization. Knowing how to read and write was associated with protection from hospitalization. The frequency of hospitalization was high in this study.
Conclusion
The frequency of HA of older people attended at basic health units was high and was associated with modifiable and non-modifiable factors, indicating that the multidimensional approach is an important tool in the care of the older adults in primary health care settings.
Keywords
Elderly; Hospitalization; Geriatrics; Geriatric Assessment