Prevalence of Delirium in Hospitalized Older Adults (??? 70 Years of Age): A Secondary Analysis

Abstract

Current research notes the staggering rate at which older adults are admitted to hospitals with delirium or acquire delirium during hospitalization and the devastating impact that it can have on an older patient???s functional ability and overall health. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a walking and mobility (WAM) program on the prevalence of delirium in hospitalized older adults (??? 70 years of age) on an Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) unit at a 913 bed hospital. Secondary problem statements include differences in age, gender and discharge location related to the presence of delirium. This study was a secondary analysis which used descriptive and and comparative analysis to describe the differences between a control (no WAM program) (n=382) and intervention (WAM program) (n=481) groups. Instruments included the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) which determined the presence of delirium, and the Barthel Index (BI) which tested the ability of the patient to perform activities of daily living (ADL) independently.
 Approximately 10% of the control and intervention groups were admitted to the ACE unit with delirium. However, at discharge there was no statistically significant difference in prevalence of delirium between the groups. Therefore the WAM program had no effect on the prevalence of delirium in hospitalized older adults. On admission, patients with delirium were distributed across all age categories, but on discharge all patients with delirium were between the ages of 80 and 94. On discharge in the intervention group, there was a higher proportion of males with positive CAM than females. On discharge from the hospital, patients with delirium were transferred to nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities, while the majority of patients without delirium were discharged home with no services, or home with home health.