Annals of emergency medicine
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Multicenter Study
Functional Decline After Nonhospitalized Injuries in Older Patients: Results From the Canadian Emergency Team Initiative Cohort in Elders.
To estimate the cumulative incidence of functional decline over 6 months following emergency department (ED) assessments of nonhospitalized injuries and to identify its main determinants. ⋯ A significant 17% of older adults with "minor" injuries experience a persistent functional decline over 6 months following their ED visit. Four frailty-related determinants were identified: occasional use of a walking device, less than 5 outings/week, frailty, and older age. Further work is needed to assess if these can help ED clinicians screen seniors at risk and initiate interventions at discharge.