Predictors of outcomes from a ward for demented elderly: gender differences

In a previous study, we found gender differences among care recipients and suggested that elderly women living alone have difficulty receiving care from their families. We investigated the gender differences among predictors which influenced outcomes after discharge from a ward for treatment of demented elderly with severe psychotic symptoms.

We enrolled the data of 325 patients with dementia who were hospitalized between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2007, and discharged by 31 March 2008. Two hundred and ninety-four patients were divided into men and women. We checked the gender differences of their characteristics. After that, they were subdivided into three groups to analyze the effect of each patient's characteristics and care situation on their outcomes: (i) given home care (home); (ii) became institutionalized (institution); and (iii) transferred to another hospital (hospital).

In the hospital groups, the incidence of complications was high for each sex. The differences between the institution group and home group were shown by N-ADL score in men. In contrast, the predictors in women were the HDS-R score, the number of cohabitants and the caregiver.

It was observed that there were gender differences among outcome predictors. The outcomes of demented patients were predicted by both complications and condition on admission. Most women did not return to their homes because of the situation in which they received care. It is necessary to establish a clear system for providing care for the demented elderly, especially for women.