Age- and sex-specific predictors of inpatient rehabilitation facility discharge destination for adult patients with traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT

Objective

: To determine age- and sex-specific predictors of discharge destination among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) receiving inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) care.

Design

: Secondary analysis of Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation data.

Methods

: Logistic regression of patients (N = 221,961) age ≥18, TBI diagnosis, admitted to IRF between 2002 and 2018.

Outcome

: Discharge destination (subacute vs. home/community settings)

Results

: Approximately 16% were discharged to subacute vs. 84% home. Younger versus older adults had lower odds of subacute discharge [OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.76]. Younger females had lower odds of subacute discharge (vs. home) than older females [OR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.74]; younger males had lower odds of subacute discharge (vs. home) than older males [OR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.78]. Younger females versus younger males had lower odds of subacute discharge (vs. home) [OR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.87]. Older females versus older males had lower odds of subacute discharge (vs. home) [OR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.97]. Predictors of discharge destination for age- and sex-stratified groups varied.

Conclusions

: Younger (vs. older) and female (vs. male) patients had lower odds of subacute discharge vs. home.

KEYWORDS:

• [MeSH]: brain injuries
• traumatic
• rehabilitation
• outcome assessment
• health care

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Ziqi Zhang for assisting manuscript formatting. The data for this study were obtained and used with permission from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, a division of UB Foundation Activities, Inc.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [P2CHD065702]; National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities [U54MD012530].