Brown Rebecca T, Kiely Dan K, Bharel Monica, Mitchell Susan L
San Francisco Veterans AffairsMedical Center, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA.
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2013 May;24(2):456-68. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2013.0077.
Although older homeless adults have high rates of geriatric syndromes, risk factors for these syndromes are not known. We used multivariable regression models to estimate the association of subject characteristics with the total number of geriatric syndromes in 250 homeless adults aged 50 years and older. Geriatric syndromes included falls, cognitive impairment, frailty, major depression, sensory impairment, and urinary incontinence. A higher total number of geriatric syndromes was associated with having less than a high school education, medical comorbidities (diabetes and arthritis), alcohol and drug use problems, and difficulty performing one or more activities of daily living. Clinicians who care for older homeless patients with these characteristics should consider screening them for geriatric syndromes. Moreover, this study identifies potentially modifiable risk factors associated with the total number of geriatric syndromes in older homeless adults. This knowledge may provide targets for clinical interventions to improve the health of older homeless patients.
尽管年长的无家可归成年人患老年综合征的比例很高,但这些综合征的风险因素尚不清楚。我们使用多变量回归模型来估计250名50岁及以上无家可归成年人的个体特征与老年综合征总数之间的关联。老年综合征包括跌倒、认知障碍、衰弱、重度抑郁、感觉障碍和尿失禁。老年综合征总数较高与未接受过高中教育、患有合并症(糖尿病和关节炎)、酗酒和吸毒问题以及一项或多项日常生活活动困难有关。照顾具有这些特征的年长无家可归患者的临床医生应考虑对他们进行老年综合征筛查。此外,本研究确定了与年长无家可归成年人老年综合征总数相关的潜在可改变风险因素。这些知识可为临床干预提供目标,以改善年长无家可归患者的健康状况。