To determine whether higher activity of daily living () limitation stages are associated with increased risk of hospitalization, particularly for ambulatory care sensitive () conditions.
Secondary data analysis, including 8,815 beneficiaries from 2005 to 2006 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey ().
limitation stages (0‐) were determined at the end of 2005. Hospitalization rates were calculated for 2006 and age adjusted using direct standardization. Multivariate negative binomial regression, adjusting for baseline demographic and health characteristics, with the outcome hospitalization count was performed to estimate the adjusted rate ratio of ACS and non‐ACS hospitalizations for beneficiaries with ADL stages > 0 compared to beneficiaries without limitations.
Baseline stage and health conditions were assessed using 2005 data and count of hospitalization determined using 2006 data.
Referenced to stage 0, the adjusted rate ratios (95 percent confidence interval) for stage I to stage ranged from 1.9 (1.4–2.5) to 4.1 (2.2–7.8) for hospitalizations compared with from 1.6 (1.3–1.9) to 1.8 (1.4–2.5) for non‐ hospitalizations.
Hospitalization rates for conditions increased more dramatically with limitation stage than did rates for non‐ conditions. Adults with limitations appear particularly vulnerable to potentially preventable hospitalizations for conditions typically manageable in ambulatory settings.
