Cognitive health and risk of ED revisit in underserved older adults.

Objective: The objective was to examine associations between cognitive health and unplanned emergency department (ED) revisits 30, 60, and 90 days after the initial visit.

Methods: Sociodemographic, clinical, and cognitive measures were collected on 110 white and African American adults, 65 years and older, who sought care in an inner-city ED. The information was collected via face-to-face interviews and review of the electronic medical record.

Associations between Depressive Symptoms and 30-day Hospital Readmission among Older Adults.

Background: Hospital readmissions are common and costly. Our goal was to determine the association between depressive symptoms and readmission within 30 days following hospital discharge in older adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from a study of 789 persons aged 65 years or older admitted to a 20-bed acute care for elders (ACE) hospital unit from May 2009 to July 2011.

Gait Speed and Dismobility in Older Adults.

Objectives: To classify hospitalized older patients with slow gait speed, and test the hypothesis that slow gait speed or dismobility is associated with increased mortality risk.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Acute care geriatric hospital unit.

Mobility activity and its value as a prognostic indicator of survival in hospitalized older adults.

Objectives: To objectively assess total steps and minutes active in the first and last 24 hours of hospitalization and to examine associations with survival after discharge in hospitalized older adults.

Design: A prospective study.

Setting: A 20-bed Acute Care for Elders (ACE) hospital unit.

Recovery of functional status after stroke in a tri-ethnic population.

Objective: To examine recovery of functional status for white, black, and Hispanic patients who have had a stroke from the time of admission to inpatient medical rehabilitation to 12 months after discharge.

Design: A longitudinal study that used information from the Stroke Recovery in Underserved Population database, a prospective observational study of persons with stroke who received inpatient medical rehabilitation services during 2005-2006.

Setting: Eleven inpatient rehabilitation facilities located across diverse regions of the United States, including California, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York (2), Texas (2), and Washington, DC.

The role of positive affect on social participation following stroke.

Purpose: To examine the association between positive affect and social participation in adults with first-time stroke after in-patient medical rehabilitation.

Methods: A prospective cohort design using information from the Stroke Recovery in Underserved Populations database (SRUP) for the years 2005-2006. Data were collected at discharge from in-patient medical rehabilitation and 3 months post-discharge.

Patterns of change in depression after stroke.

Objectives: To provide estimates of change in depressive symptoms and determine how changes in depressive symptom influence recovery of functional status.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Eleven inpatient medical rehabilitation facilities located across the United States.

Frailty and 10-year mortality in community-living Mexican American older adults.

Background: The older Hispanic population of the United States is growing rapidly. Hispanic older adults have relatively high-risk profiles for increased morbidity and disability, yet little is known about how the construct of frailty is related to health trajectories in this population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between frailty and 10-year mortality in older community-dwelling Mexican Americans.

Church attendance mediates the association between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning among older Mexican Americans.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine how the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive function is modified by church attendance.

Methods: We used a sample of 2759 older Mexican Americans. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline, 2, 5, 7, and 11 years of follow-up.

Measures of lower body function and risk of mortality over 7 years of follow-up.

The study examined whether a test of walking speed provides similar predictive information on mortality risk as does a summary measure of lower body function. Data were from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly database and included Mexican Americans aged 65 years or more (1993-2000). Primary measures included a short physical performance battery, a test of walking speed, and mortality.

Hypertension in older adults and the role of positive emotions.

Objective: Negative emotions have been linked to increases in blood pressure, but relations between positive emotion and blood pressure have not been investigated. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that high positive emotion would be associated with lower blood pressure in older adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 2564 Mexican Americans aged 65 or older living in one of five southwestern states.

The influence of perceived pain on satisfaction with community participation after hospital discharge.

Objective: To examine the association between pain and satisfaction with community participation for patients with stroke approximately 4 months after discharge from inpatient medical rehabilitation.

Design: A cross-sectional study from 2001 to 2002 using information from the IT HealthTrack database.

Setting: Community based.