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Diabetes in U.S. nursing homes, 2004.
Helaine E Resnick1, Janice Heineman, Robyn Stone
1Institute for the Future of Aging Services, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, 2519 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA. hresnick@aahsa.org
Diabetes Care
|November 6, 2007
Summary
In 2004, nearly a quarter of US nursing home residents aged 65+ had diabetes. Diabetic residents experienced higher rates of hospital admissions, longer stays, and more medications, indicating complex care needs.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent chronic condition affecting older adults.
- Nursing home residents represent a vulnerable population with complex health needs.
- Understanding diabetes prevalence and outcomes in this setting is crucial for care planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of diabetes among US nursing home residents aged 65 years and older in 2004.
- To examine differences in admission sources, length of stay, medication use, and adverse outcomes between diabetic and non-diabetic nursing home residents.
- To identify implications for care planning and resource allocation in nursing home settings.
Main Methods:
- Utilized cross-sectional data from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey.
- Analyzed data from 11,939 nursing home residents aged 65 years and older, representing approximately 1.32 million individuals.
- Compared characteristics and outcomes of residents with and without diabetes, including race/ethnicity, admission source, length of stay, medication use, emergency department visits, and pressure ulcer prevalence.
Main Results:
- In 2004, 24.6% of US nursing home residents aged 65+ had diabetes.
- Diabetes prevalence was higher among nonwhite residents (35.6%) compared to white residents (22.5%).
- Diabetic residents had higher odds of emergency department visits (39% increase) and pressure ulcers (56% increase) and were more likely to be admitted from acute care hospitals and use more medications.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes is a significant comorbidity in the US nursing home population, affecting one in four older residents.
- Diabetic nursing home residents face a higher burden of adverse health outcomes, necessitating targeted interventions and specialized care planning.
- Findings underscore the importance of addressing diabetes management to improve the quality of care and reduce complications in long-term care facilities.
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