Patient selection: community-living adult >= 70 years of age
Risk factors for severe disability:
(1) age >= 85 years (hazard ratio 1.6)
(2) hearing impairment (hazard ratio 1.7)
(3) cognitive impairment (hazard ratio 2.0)
(4) low functional self-efficacy based on the ability to perform ADL (hazard ratio 1.8)
(5) low peak expiratory flow (hazard ratio 1.7)
(6) frailty (hazard ratio 2.4)
Risk factors associated with catastrophic disability:
(1) visual impairment (hazard ratio 1.4)
(2) hearing impairment (hazard ratio 1.3)
(3) poor physical performance (low SPPB = Short Physical Performance Battery score; hazard ratio 1.8)
(4) low peak expiratory flow (hazard ratio 1.3)
where:
• The hazard ratios are fairly low indicating the multiple factors need to be present).
• The end-points are disability with many of the predictors are manifestations of disability.
Deterioration in disability is associated with hospitalizations and emergency department visits.
