Mudrazija S, Thomeer MB, Angel JL. Gender Differences in Institutional Long-Term Care Transitions.
Womens Health Issues 2015;
25:441-9. [PMID:
26123639 DOI:
10.1016/j.whi.2015.04.010]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
This study investigates the relationship between gender, the likelihood of discharge from institutional long-term care (LTC) facilities, and post-discharge living arrangements, highlighting sociodemographic, health, socioeconomic, and family characteristics.
METHODS
We use the Health and Retirement Study to examine individuals age 65 and older admitted to LTC facilities between 2000 and 2010 (n = 3,351). We examine discharge patterns using survival analyses that account for the competing risk of death and estimate the probabilities of post-discharge living arrangements using multinomial logistic regression models.
RESULTS
Women are more likely than men to be discharged from LTC facilities during the first year of stay. Women are more likely to live alone or with kin after discharge, whereas men are more likely to live with a spouse or transfer to another institution. Gender differences in the availability and use of family support may partly account for the gender disparity of LTC discharge and post-discharge living arrangements.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that women and men follow distinct pathways after LTC discharge. As local and federal efforts begin to place more emphasis on the transition from LTC facilities to prior communities (e.g., transitional care initiatives under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), policymakers should take these gender differences into account in the design of community transition programs.
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