Health Status Transitions in Elderly with Complex Care Needs
Author Information
Author(s): Lafortune Louise, Béland François, Bergman Howard, Ankri Joël
Primary Institution: Université de Montréal
Hypothesis
A latent classification can capture the heterogeneity in a population of frail elderly persons living in the community.
Conclusion
The study identified four stable health profiles that are sensitive to changes in health status over time.
Supporting Evidence
- The study identified four health profiles that distinguish physical and cognitive dimensions of health.
- Profiles were stable over time and robust to mortality and lost to follow-up attrition.
- Differentiated transition probabilities demonstrated sensitivity to changes in health status.
- The classification approach may aid in planning longitudinal studies of aging.
Takeaway
The researchers looked at how older people with health problems change over time and found four main groups that help understand their health better.
Methodology
Latent class analyses and latent transition analyses were performed using data from the SIPA project.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification due to missing cognitive scores and the inability to control for unobserved individual effects.
Limitations
The study may have selection bias due to attrition and missing data, particularly regarding depression and cognitive scores.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 64 and older, with 70.9% female and a range of socioeconomic statuses.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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