Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Substitutive "hospital at home" versus inpatient care for elderly patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective randomized, controlled trial.
To evaluate hospital readmission rates and mortality at 6-month follow-up in selected elderly patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ Physician-led substitutive hospital-at-home care as an alternative to inpatient care for elderly patients with acute exacerbations of COPD is associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of hospital readmission at 6 months, lower healthcare costs, and better quality of life.
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To examine racial and ethnic disparities in mobility limitation, activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in older adults enrolled in Medicare. ⋯ Across all ethnic and racial groups, self-reported disability has declined in the past decade, but even after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and living situation, racial and ethnic disparities in disability outcomes persist. Race and ethnicity may influence the reporting of disability, potentially affecting measures of prevalence. Further research is needed to understand whether these differences are a result of perceptions related to disablement or true differences in disability between racial and ethnic groups.