Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
04:13
Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Published on: February 8, 2019
7.3K
Inpatient Walking Activity to Predict Readmission in Older Adults
Steve R Fisher1, James E Graham2, Kenneth J Ottenbacher2
1Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|June 7, 2016
Summary
In older patients, daily walking activity during hospitalization is a stronger predictor of 30-day readmission than activities of daily living (ADLs). A threshold of 275 steps daily may identify patients at lower readmission risk.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Clinical Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Hospital readmissions among older adults pose a significant healthcare burden.
- Assessing patient functional status is crucial for predicting readmission risk.
- Existing methods may not fully capture mobility-related risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the predictive power of in-hospital walking activity versus activities of daily living (ADLs) for 30-day readmissions in older acutely ill patients.
- To identify potential walking activity thresholds for intervention targeting to reduce rehospitalizations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, observational cohort study involving 164 ambulatory individuals aged 65+ admitted with acute medical illness.
- In-hospital walking activity was measured using accelerometry (step counts).
- Activities of daily living (ADLs) function was assessed within 48 hours of admission.
Main Results:
- Twenty-six patients (15.8%) were readmitted within 30 days.
- In-hospital walking activity was a stronger predictor of 30-day readmission (OR=0.90) than ADL function (OR=0.45) after adjusting for risk factors.
- A daily walking threshold of 275 steps or more was associated with reduced readmission risk.
Conclusions:
- In-hospital walking activity is a more potent predictor of 30-day readmission than ADLs in older acutely ill patients.
- Monitoring patient ambulation during hospitalization can offer valuable early readmission risk insights.
- Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore post-hospitalization activity monitoring.
