Journal
JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY
Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages 32-38Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0891988702250535
Keywords
delirium; elderly; veterans
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This retrospective study examined delirium and related confusional diagnoses recorded in patients older than age 60 discharged from Veterans Affairs (VA) acute inpatient units nationally in 1996 (n = 267,947). Only 4% of patients had delirium or related confusional diagnoses recorded. Patients with recorded delirium had significantly higher mortality than did those without recorded delirium or those with other confusional diagnoses (organic psychoses); the most common delirium types were dementia with delirium and alcohol intoxication/withdrawal delirium. Organic psychoses patients had the longest lengths of stay and significantly more admissions to nonmedical/surgical units and discharges to nursing homes; almost 20% were African American. The recorded rate of delirium in the VA health system likely underestimates true prevalence and possibly reflects nonrecognition of delirium in many older veterans. Certain motoric and etiologic types of delirium may be more commonly diagnosed and recorded. Future research should prospectively examine recognition of motoric and etiologic delirium subtypes and racial differences in delirium diagnoses.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available