SELF-RATED HEALTH PREDICTS MORTALITY IN OLDER AFRO-CARIBBEANS HOSPITALIZED VIA THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

• Published in: Innovation in aging Vol. 1; no. suppl_1; p. 775
• Main Authors: Godaert, L., Allard Saint-Albin, L., Godard-Sebillotte, C., Fanon, J., Drame, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 01-07-2017
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.2809

The aim of this study is to determine whether self-rated health (SRH) is an independent prognostic factor for mid- and long-term mortality in older Afro-Caribbean patients hospitalised for an acute condition.
This study was a prospective cohort that recruited patients from the University Hospitals of Martinique Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit (French West Indies) from January to June 2012. Patients aged 75 or older and hospitalized for an acute condition were eligible. The primary outcome was time to death within the 36-week follow-up. SRH was the explanatory variable of interest. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Cox’s Proportional Hazards model was used to estimate the relationship between SRH and mortality.
In total, 223 patients were included; average age 85.1 ± 5.5 years, mainly women (61.4%). In total, 123 patients reported “very good to good” health, and 100 “medium to very poor” health. Crude mortality rates at six months, 1, 2 and 3 years were 30.5%, 34.8%, 48.4%, and 57.0%, respectively. SRH reached significant relationship for all mortality endpoints, after adjustment for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. The adjusted hazard ratios for subjects who perceived their health as medium, poor or very poor was 1.6 to 2.7 times greater than that of subjects who reported good or very good health.
In conclusion, the association between self-rated health and mid- to long-term mortality in elderly subjects could have implications for clinical practice, particularly in helping practitioners to better estimate prognosis in the acute care setting.