Dementia and Use of Health Services in Last Two Years of Life
Author Information
Author(s): Leena Forma, Pekka Rissanen, Mari Aaltonen, Jani Raitanen, Marja Jylhä
Primary Institution: University of Tampere
Hypothesis
Old people with dementia use less hospital care and more long-term care in their last two years of life than people without dementia.
Conclusion
Old people with dementia used long-term care more and hospital and home care less than those without dementia.
Supporting Evidence
- 23.5% of study participants had a dementia diagnosis.
- People with dementia used long-term care more often than those without.
- The likelihood of using long-term care increased during the study period.
Takeaway
Older people with dementia go to nursing homes more often and to the hospital less than those without dementia.
Methodology
Data were derived from national registers in Finland, analyzing service use among decedents aged 70 and over from 1998 to 2003.
Potential Biases
Potential underdiagnosis of dementia may lead to selection bias.
Limitations
The study did not have access to information on the time of diagnosis or severity of dementia.
Participant Demographics
The average age of participants was 85 years, with a higher proportion of women among dementia sufferers (69.6%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 8.60, 10.06
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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