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Reeves D, Holland F, Morbey H, Hann M, Ahmed F, Davies L, Keady J, Leroi I, Reilly S. Retrospective study of more than 5 million emergency admissions to hospitals in England: Epidemiology and outcomes for people with dementia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281158. [PMID: 36888666 PMCID: PMC9994676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People living with dementia (PwD) admitted in emergency to an acute hospital may be at higher risk of inappropriate care and poorer outcomes including longer hospitalisations and higher risk of emergency re-admission or death. Since 2009 numerous national and local initiatives in England have sought to improve hospital care for PwD. We compared outcomes of emergency admissions for cohorts of patients aged 65+ with and without dementia at three points in time. METHODS We analysed emergency admissions (EAs) from the Hospital Episodes Statistics datasets for England 2010/11, 2012/13 and 2016/17. Dementia upon admission was based on a diagnosis in the patient's hospital records within the last five years. Outcomes were length of hospital stays (LoS), long stays (> = 15 days), emergency re-admissions (ERAs) and death in hospital or within 30 days post-discharge. A wide range of covariates were taken into account, including patient demographics, pre-existing health and reasons for admission. Hierarchical multivariable regression analysis, applied separately for males and females, estimated group differences adjusted for covariates. RESULTS We included 178 acute hospitals and 5,580,106 EAs, of which 356,992 (13.9%) were male PwD and 561,349 (18.6%) female PwD. Uncontrolled differences in outcomes between the patient groups were substantial but were considerably reduced after control for covariates. Covariate-adjusted differences in LoS were similar at all time-points and in 2016/17 were 17% (95%CI 15%-18%) and 12% (10%-14%) longer for male and female PwD respectively compared to patients without dementia. Adjusted excess risk of an ERA for PwD reduced over time to 17% (15%-18%) for males and 17% (16%-19%) for females, but principally due to increased ERA rates amongst patients without dementia. Adjusted overall mortality was 30% to 40% higher for PwD of both sexes throughout the time-period; however, adjusted in-hospital rates of mortality differed only slightly between the patient groups, whereas PwD had around double the risk of dying within 30 days of being discharged. CONCLUSION Over the six-year period, covariate-adjusted hospital LoS, ERA rates and in-hospital mortality rates for PwD were only slightly elevated compared to similar patients without dementia and remaining differences potentially reflect uncontrolled confounding. PwD however, were around twice as likely to die shortly after discharge, the reasons for which require further investigation. Despite being widely used for service evaluation, LoS, ERA and mortality may lack sensitivity to changes in hospital care and support to PwD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Reeves
- National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Centre for Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Fiona Holland
- National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Centre for Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hazel Morbey
- Division of Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Hann
- National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Centre for Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Faraz Ahmed
- Division of Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Davies
- National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - John Keady
- National Institute for Health Research School for Social Care Research, Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Iracema Leroi
- Department of Psychiatry St James’ Hospital, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Siobhan Reilly
- Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom
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Navigating cancer treatment and care when living with comorbid dementia: an ethnographic study. Support Care Cancer 2020; 29:2571-2579. [PMID: 32955656 PMCID: PMC7981315 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05735-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The risks of developing cancer and dementia increase as we age; however, this comorbidity remains relatively under-researched. This study reports on the challenges that people affected by comorbid cancer and dementia face when navigating engagement with cancer treatment within secondary care. Materials and methods An ethnographic study recruiting 17 people with cancer and dementia, 22 relatives and 19 oncology staff in two UK National Health Service Trusts. Observations (46 h) and informal conversations were conducted during oncology appointments involving people with dementia. Semi-structured interviews (n = 37) with people living with cancer and dementia, their relatives and staff working in various roles across oncology services were also carried out. Data were analysed using ethnographically informed thematic analysis. Results People with cancer and dementia experienced challenges across three areas of navigating cancer treatment and care: navigating through multiple services, appointments and layers of often complex information; repeatedly navigating transport to and from hospital; and navigating non-dementia-friendly hospital outpatient environments alongside the cognitive problems associated with dementia. Conclusions Dementia impacts patients’ abilities to navigate the many practical aspects of attending hospital for cancer treatment and care. This study indicates the importance of addressing ways to improve the experience of travelling to and from the hospital, alongside extending the ongoing efforts to develop ‘dementia-friendly’ hospital in-patient areas and practices, to outpatient departments. Such steps will serve to improve hospital-based cancer treatment and care and more broadly outpatient appointment experiences for people with dementia and their families.
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