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Biomedical subjects

M A Rudberg

Publications and source records attributed to M A Rudberg.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

The relationship of visual and hearing impairments to disability: an analysis using the longitudinal study of aging.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationships of visual impairment and hearing impairments to physical disability. The purpose of this work is to determine if persons 70 years of age and over with these impairments are at risk for increased disability in basic physical activities of daily living (ADLs) compared to persons without these impairments. METHODS: We used as our data source the baseline (1984) and the 1988 reinterview from the Longitudinal Study of Aging, a nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized persons 70 years of age and older. To determine the relationships of visual impairment and hearing impairment to future four-year disability, we used multiple variable modeling, controlling for demographic variables, selected chronic conditions, and baseline disability. RESULTS: Persons with visual impairment were 1.37 (95% CI:1.20-1.57) times more likely to have increased disability in ADLs than those without visual impairment. Hearing impairment was not independently related to increased ADL disability. CONCLUSIONS: Visual impairment by itself is an independent risk factor for future ADL disability. In light of the enlarging older population, maneuvers to ameliorate visual impairment may help to minimize the increase in numbers of disabled persons.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

Measurement issues in preventive strategies: past, present, and future.

Prevention of the chronic health conditions of older people can potentially affect both life expectancy and health. In the past, fatal conditions, namely coronary heart disease, cancer, and stroke, dominated work on preventive strategies with the only outcome of concern being mortality. The present increasing life expectancy of the population has put persons at risk for the nonfatal and often disabling conditions of old age, such as dementia, osteoporosis and hip fracture, sensory impairments, and arthritis, to name a few. These conditions have major effects on, not the quantity, but the quality of life. In the future, quality of life measured in a variety of ways will be necessary to evaluate the effects of preventive strategies for nonfatal conditions.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Mortality, disability, and falls in older persons: the role of underlying disease and disability.

BACKGROUND: Falls are prevalent in older persons and can have serious consequences. METHODS: Data from the Longitudinal Study on Aging were analyzed to study the relationship between falls and both mortality and functional status in 4270 respondents age 70 and over. The effects of demographic traits, chronic conditions, and disability present at baseline were controlled for by means of multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Risk of death within 2 years was greater for both single fallers (crude odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.0) and multiple fallers (crude OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.7-2.8). This excess risk was dissipated when selected covariates were added to the model. No crude or adjusted association was evident between single falls and functional impairment; however, multiple falls were an independent risk factor (adjusted OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.0). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple falls in older persons increase risk of functional impairment and may indicate underlying conditions that increase risk of death.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effectiveness of feeding tubes in nursing home residents with swallowing disorders.

BACKGROUND: Among nursing home residents who stop eating, a common decision for residents, caregivers, and families is the decision to begin tube feeding. This study examines the effectiveness of feeding tubes at reducing mortality among nursing home residents with swallowing disorders and feeding disabilities. METHODS: Data from a version of the Minimum Data Set+ (MDS +) encompassing three different states from calendar years 1993 and 1994 were analyzed. Residents were included in the study if they were not totally dependent on staff for eating upon their first assessment but became totally dependent on staff for eating and had a swallowing disorder at some point during their nursing home stay. We used a proportional hazard regression to examine the relationship of feeding tubes with mortality after total eating dependence occurred. RESULTS: Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier curves found that those with feeding tubes were less likely to die than comparable residents without feeding tubes (p < .001). Estimated survival at 1 year was 39% for those without feeding tubes and 50% for those with feeding tubes. The multivariate results indicated that feeding tubes were associated with a reduced risk of death (risk ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.59, 0.86). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that tube feeding can be life-prolonging, even if the gain in life is not substantial. Such information can be useful to nursing home staff, residents, and families when trying to decide whether to place a feeding tube in a resident with swallowing disorders and eating disabilities.

Activities of Daily Living↗