[Differences in average hospital stay in German inpatient institutions analysed on a regional basis before and after re-unification].

The current German average length of hospital stay (ALOS) is comparatively too high, if seen on an international level. Since 1902 a clear and permanent reduction of ALOS is evident in Germany from official statistics. The decrease of ALOS was synchronous in East and West Germany even after reunification.

The effects of dementia in German acute care hospitals.

In this study a representative sample of German acute care hospitals is used to describe the effects of dementia within acute care hospitals. Data from hospital patients above age 60 with the diagnosis dementia (ICD 290, 293, 294 and 310), collected over an observation period of 12 years, are compared with nondemented hospital patients at the same ages. The differences in the average length of stay between demented and nondemented patients are only relatively small in German acute care hospitals.

[Regional differences of results of disability assessment for domestic health care needs in 1995 and possible explanations].

In 1995 a statutory nursing care insurance was set up in Germany. The MDK (Medical Service of Health Care Insurance Institutions) has been asked to evaluate the eligibility of the individual patients. Within a few months after this body began its work, strong regional differences in incidence became visible.

[Long-term changes in availability of domestic nursing care based on family structure changes--a model calculation].

A central hypothesis in German family sociology is the observation of a disruption of family structures. If this disintegration prevails up to highest ages it must, among others, lead to an increasing inability to perform nursing care within families. The most important person in case of a need for nursing care is the spouse.

A survey of nosocomial infections and their influence on hospital mortality rates.

Nosocomial infections play an important role in contributing to hospital mortality. In order to obtain a large sample a survey was conducted between 1978 and 1989 of more than 66,000 patients in German acute care hospitals. The data were used to assess the influence of nosocomial infections on mortality rates.

[Hospital infections and their consequences in patients of advanced age].

On the basis of a representative survey of more than 66,000 patients in German acute hospitals from 1978 to 1989 the incidence and consequences of nosocomial infections on length of hospital stay and mortality for patients above age 60 are discussed. Infection rates are higher for female patients and increase with age for both sexes. Surprisingly the length of stay differences due to nosocomial infections are smaller in absolute and relative terms for older patients.

[The long-term development of labor force potential using alternative assumptions of (net) migration to Germany].

"Using model calculations to the year 2050, this paper shows the decisive role that assumptions on future (net) migration to Germany will play in the long-term development of the labor force potential. The particular focus of this paper is to point out the importance of (net) migration not only in terms of absolute figures, but more importantly in terms of the age and gender structure. The annual net migration of 500,000 or 250,000 persons leads, depending on the assumption of its age structure, to extreme differences in the long-term development of the labor force potential.