Patients' age as a determinant of care received following acute stroke: A systematic review
2011

Impact of Age on Stroke Care Quality

Sample size: 9 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Luker Julie A, Wall Kylie, Bernhardt Julie, Edwards Ian, Grimmer-Somers Karen A

Primary Institution: International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia

Hypothesis

Does the quality of care provided to acute stroke patients differ based on their age?

Conclusion

Older stroke patients may receive poorer quality care compared to younger patients.

Supporting Evidence

  • Older patients received poorer care for 64% of evidence-based process indicators.
  • Younger patients had inferior care for only one indicator related to antihypertensive therapy.
  • Age-related differences in care varied across different studies and settings.

Takeaway

This study looked at how age affects the care people get after a stroke, finding that older patients often get less care than younger ones.

Methodology

The authors systematically reviewed studies from various databases, focusing on compliance with care processes related to patient age.

Potential Biases

Potential age bias in care decisions and lack of consideration for confounding factors.

Limitations

The methodological quality of included studies varied, and some studies used outdated data.

Participant Demographics

Adults over 18 years old admitted to hospitals with acute stroke.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.07

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6963-11-161

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