Abstract
BackgroundFunctioning assessment is a key tool for health professionals to characterize the person's degree of dependence and plan care.ObjectivesThe objectives were: (1) know the functioning components of older adults hospitalized in the National Network of Continuous Integrated Health Care (NNCIHC) in Portugal; and (2) compare the conceptual frameworks used in this network with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).MethodsA longitudinal retrospective study is made with 171,414 individuals aged 65 years and over. The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was realized to reduce the number of variables, previously suggested by a scoping review, about the concepts that characterize the functionality. Then, a consensus meeting was held, where the items were matched with the ICF.ResultsThe average age of the sample is 80.17 years old (SD = 7.383), predominantly female (59%), without a spouse (54%), and with <6 years of education (56.4%). Four concepts were grouped: mobility, life daily activities, instrumental activities, and cognitive status that demonstrated good internal consistency. Most items correspond to ICF, except for the item “taking medication.”ConclusionTheoretical and conceptual similarities support the use of instruments based on the ICF in Portugal's healthcare network. We suggest that ICF also encompasses a specific dimension related to medication management, given its importance for people's health.
Highlights
The aging of the population poses a growing challenge on a global scale in regard to better respond to the needs of the older adults, in terms of health care
A longitudinal retrospective study is made with a sample of 171,414 older adults, aged 65 years and over and hospitalized in health units belonging to the National Network of Continuous Integrated Health Care (NNCIHC)
We performed the following steps: 1) Analysis of the functioning components of older adults hospitalized in the NNCIHC in Portugal
Summary
The aging of the population poses a growing challenge on a global scale in regard to better respond to the needs of the older adults, in terms of health care. There is an increased risk of developing chronic and degenerative diseases, which represent more than 50% of the global disease burden, with profound implications for independence and the use of health. In Portugal, a recent study with people over 65 years old institutionalized or supported in day centers found that 68.2% had multimorbidity, that is, they suffered from more than one chronic disease [4]. A recent study concluded, in a cross-sectional analysis, that people between 60 and 69 years old who suffer from three or more diseases fit into a complex morbidity profile, which over the years refers to those who develop a severe disability in carrying out activities of daily living and have a moderate risk of mortality [5]. Functioning assessment is a key tool for health professionals to characterize the person’s degree of dependence and plan care
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