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Why elderly patients refuse hospitalization.

P P Barry1, C A Crescenzi, L Radovsky

  • 1Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research, Boston University Medical Center, Massachusetts.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|May 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Elderly patients often refuse hospitalization due to negative perceptions of healthcare or acceptance of death. Less ill patients treated at home showed stable health outcomes, suggesting home care can be effective.

Area of Science:

  • Geriatrics
  • Health Services Research
  • Patient Decision-Making

Background:

  • Hospitalization refusal by elderly patients presents challenges in healthcare.
  • Understanding factors influencing these decisions is crucial for patient-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify key factors influencing the decision of elderly patients to refuse hospitalization.
  • To compare characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients who refuse versus accept hospitalization.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 35 elderly patients who refused hospitalization (refusers) and 70 who accepted (acceptors) from the Home Medical Service (HMS).
  • Data collection included demographic factors, healthcare factors, medical condition, and outcomes at baseline and six weeks, sourced from healthcare providers and patient records.
Keywords:
Boston University Medical CenterEmpirical ApproachProfessional Patient Relationship

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Common reasons for refusal included negative perceptions of the healthcare system or passive acceptance of death.
  • Refusers were significantly less ill compared to acceptors at the outset.
  • No significant changes in health or functional status were observed in refusers at the six-week follow-up.

Conclusions:

  • Refusal of hospitalization in the elderly is frequently linked to their interactions with the healthcare system.
  • Home-based medical care may provide reasonable outcomes for less acutely ill elderly patients who opt against hospitalization.