An analysis of equity in treatment of hip fractures for older patients with dementia in acute care hospitals: observational study using nationwide hospital claims data in Japan

BMC Health Services Research

Kiyohide Fushimi¹  Shinya Matsuda²  Shinichi Tomioka³  Megumi Rosenberg⁴ 

[1] Department of Health Policy and Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University;Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health;Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University;World Health Organization Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre);

关键词: Dementia;    Ageism;    Equity;    Surgical treatment;    Hip fracture;    Hospital function;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-020-05690-9

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Globally, and particularly in countries with rapidly ageing populations like Japan, there are growing concerns over the heavy burden of ill health borne by older people, and the capacity of the health system to ensure their access to quality care. Older people with dementia may face even greater barriers to appropriate care in acute care settings. Yet, studies about the care quality for older patients with dementia in acute care settings are still few. The objective of this study is to assess whether dementia status is associated with poorer treatment by examining the association of a patient’s dementia status with the probability of receiving surgery and the waiting time until surgery for a hip fracture in acute care hospitals in Japan. Methods All patients with closed hip fracture were extracted from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database between April 2014 and March 2018. After excluding complicated cases, we conducted regressions with multilevel models. We used two outcome measures: (i) whether the patient received a surgery or was treated by watchful waiting; and (ii) number of waiting days until surgery after admission. Results Two hundred fourteen thousand six hundred one patients discharged from 1328 hospitals were identified. Among them, 159,173 patients received surgery. Both 80–89 year-olds (OR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84, 0.90) and those 90 years old and above (OR 0.67; 95% CI, 0.65, 0.70) had significantly lower odds ratios for receiving surgery compared to 65–79 year-olds. Those with severe dementia had a significantly greater likelihood of receiving surgery compared to those without dementia (OR 1.21; 95% CI, 1.16, 1.25). Patients aged 90 years old and above had shorter waiting time for surgery (Coef. -0.06; 95% CI, − 0.11, − 0.01). Mild dementia did not have a statistically significant impact on the number of waiting days until surgery (P = 0.34), whereas severe dementia was associated with shorter waiting days (Coef. -0.08; 95% CI, − 0.12, − 0.03). Conclusions These findings suggest physicians may be taking proactive measures to preserve physical function for those with severe dementia and to avoid prolonged hospitalization although there are no formal guidelines on prioritization for the aged and dementia patients.

【 授权许可】

Unknown