[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.