Mobility and Hospitalization for Urinary Tract Infection
Author Information
Author(s): Mary A. M. Rogers, Brant E. Fries, Samuel R. Kaufman, Lona Mody, Laurence F. McMahon Jr., Sanjay Saint
Primary Institution: University of Michigan
Hypothesis
Can improving mobility reduce the risk of hospitalization for urinary tract infections in elderly nursing home residents?
Conclusion
Improving or maintaining mobility is linked to a lower risk of hospitalization for urinary tract infections in elderly residents.
Supporting Evidence
- Walking ability was associated with a 69% lower rate of hospitalization for UTI.
- Maintaining or improving walking ability reduced hospitalization risk by 39% to 76%.
- A physician visit at admission reduced hospitalization risk by 32%.
Takeaway
If older people can walk better, they are less likely to go to the hospital for a urinary infection.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study using data from 2003-2004 involving 408,192 residents of skilled nursing facilities.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on retrospective data and the inability to measure all aspects of functional capacity.
Limitations
The study only considered severe UTI episodes requiring hospitalization and used retrospective data, which may not capture all UTI cases.
Participant Demographics
Majority were women (66%), Caucasian (82%), and 80 years or older (62%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.043
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 43.9 to 46.8 per 1000
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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