Annals of epidemiology
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Annals of epidemiology · Dec 2015
Predictors of functional limitation trajectories after injury in a nationally representative U.S. older adult population.
Studies examining postinjury functional status have demonstrated that individuals with severe injuries often do not return to baseline levels of physical functioning. We sought to investigate the impact injuries have on changes in physical functioning across the life course of older adults. The study's objectives were to (1) identify trajectories of long-term functional limitations after injury in the older adult population to better characterize the recovery process and (2) predict which individuals are most at risk for poor functional trajectories after injury. ⋯ Functional limitations after injury follow distinct trajectories that can be predicted by baseline individual characteristics.