Pain and Emergency Department Use in the Last Month of Life Among Older Adults With Dementia.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Pain may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for expensive and burdensome emergency department (ED) visits near the end of life for older adults with dementia.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of pain and unmet need for pain management on ED visits in the last month of life in older adults with dementia.

Methods

This is a mortality follow-back study of older adults with dementia in the National Health and Aging Trends Study who died between 2012 and 2014, linked to Medicare claims.

Results

Two hundred eighty-one National Health and Aging Trends Study decedents with dementia met criteria (mean age 86 years, 61% female, 81% white). Fifty-seven percent had at least one ED visit in the last month of life, and 46.5% had an

SUBMITTER: Hunt LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6289599 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature