Nursing workload predictors in Catalonia (Spain): a home care cohort study.

Objective: To identify the characteristics of chronic patients and their environment in order to predict the nursing workload required 1 year after their inclusion in a home care program.

Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out in 72 primary health care teams in Catalonia (Spain) with a 1-year follow-up of 1,068 home care patients over 64 years old. The variables collected from each patient included data on health and social status (Charlson and Barthel indexes and the Pfeiffer, Braden and Gijon scales), carer overburden (Zarit scale), hospital admissions, use of emergency services, self-perceived health (SF-12) and the number of health worker visits.

[Health problems also explain social services use in home care].

Objective: To identify which social and health variables are associated with receiving social services in patients included in home care programmes with the implementation of the Dependence Law.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: 72 primary health care teams in Catalonia.

[Monitoring a home care cohort].

Objectives: To evaluate home care by primary care teams for people over 65 years old with chronic conditions, in order to identify improvement opportunities. To identify patient and care variables associated with cognitive and functional impairment, nursing home admission, attendance at casualty units, hospital admission and death.

Design: Analytic study of the follow-up of a cohort for 3 years.