Association between Older Adults' Estimated Length of Hospital Stay and Cognitive Performance

ABSTRACT

Aim: To investigate if older adults' performance on the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) subscales were associated or predictive of their estimated length of hospital stay (ELOHS). Methods: Twenty participants (11 males, 9 females, ̄x age 82.05 years, SD = 6.93) were recruited from a geriatric evaluation and management ward in an Australian hospital. Participants' cognitive abilities were assessed using the MMSE and MoCA. Spearman's rho correlations and linear regression analyses with and without bootstrapping were completed. Results: Only the MMSE Orientation subscale was significantly associated with the participants' ELOHS. The MMSE Orientation subscale (Adjusted R² = .52, F(1, 18) = 20.36, p < .01), and MoCA Orientation subscale (Adjusted R² = .39, F(1, 18) = 13.15, p< .01) were found to be predictive of participants' ELOHS after bootstrapping. Conclusion: Participants' MMSE and MoCA Orientation subscale scores may be useful in estimating patients' ELOHS. Further studies are recommended to confirm these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Estimated discharge date
• cognition
• assessment
• occupational therapy
• older adults
• hospitalization
• orientation

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the participants who volunteered their time and input in the completion of this study. Without their participation, the study would have not been possible.

Author contributions

The four authors were involved in the development, design, and execution of this study. The first author drafted the initial version of the manuscript and the other authors provided critical feedback during its revision and further refinement.

Additional information

Funding

This project was completed without any formal funding.