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Symptom Burden in Chronically Ill Homebound Individuals.
- Source :
-
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society . Jan2013, Vol. 61 Issue 1, p126-131. 6p. 3 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Objectives To document the degree of symptom burden in an urban homebound population. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting The Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors ( MSVD) program. Participants All individuals newly enrolled in the MSVD. Measurements Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale ( ESAS), which consists of 10 visual analogue scales scored from 0 to 10; symptoms include pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, well-being, shortness of breath, and other. Results ESAS scores were completed for 318 participants. Most participants were aged 80 and older (68%) and female (75%); 36% were white, 22% black, and 32% Hispanic. Forty-three percent had Medicaid, and 32% lived alone. Ninety-one percent required assistance with one or more activities of daily living, 45% had a Karnofsky Performance Scale score between 0 and 40 (unable to care for self), and 43% reported severe burden on one or more symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms were loss of appetite, lack of well-being, tiredness, and pain; the symptoms with the highest scores were depression, pain, appetite, and shortness of breath. Participants were more likely to have severe symptom burden if they self-reported their ESAS, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes mellitus with end organ damage, or had a Charlson Comorbidity Index greater than 3 and less likely to have severe burden if they had dementia. Conclusion In chronically ill homebound adults, symptom burden is a serious problem that needs to be addressed alongside primary and specialty care needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00028614
- Volume :
- 61
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 84740633
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.12038