The performance of simple instruments in detecting geriatric conditions and selecting community-dwelling older people for geriatric assessment.

Background: comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) appears to be less effective when performed in outpatient clinics than in hospital settings. The effectiveness of outpatient CGA might be improved by selectively targeting frailer community-dwelling elderly people. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of rapidly-administered standard screening measures for geriatric syndromes in selecting community-dwelling older people for outpatient CGA.

Tuberculosis skin testing among homeless adults.

Objective: To document the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) skin test positivity among homeless adults in Los Angeles and determine whether certain characteristics of homelessness were risk factors for TB.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Shelters, soup lines, and outdoor locations in the Skid Row and Westside areas of Los Angeles.