Hospital referral patterns amongst older adults in Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: Over the coming decades Africa is projected to undergo a significant demographic shift towards an older population. Healthcare provision for older adults is made more complex by age-related multimorbidity and frailty, which contribute to older adults more frequently requiring intensive, hospital-based treatment than those in younger age groups. We investigate age and sex-stratified, diagnosis-specific hospital referral patterns in Harare, Zimbabwe to understand referral practices for older adults. This retrospective analysis of attendance records from primary health clinics (n = 8) over six years (2016 to 2021) investigated associations between age, sex and diagnosis and recommended hospital referral. Analysis compared the percentage referred between those aged ≥65 years and those y

SUBMITTER: Stanley JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12406308 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature