The frequency and quality of delirium documentation in discharge summaries

BMC Geriatrics

Table 2 Study population demographic information

Characteristic	Total (n = 110)	Medicine (n = 59)	Surgery (n = 51)	p-value^a
Age, mean (SD)	79.6 (8.4)	81.0 (7.7)	78.0 (9.0)	0.06
Male sex, n (%)	61 (55.5)	32 (54.2)	29 (56.9)	0.93
English as primary language^b, n(%)	72 (66.7)	39 (68.4)	33 (64.7)	0.84
Baseline cognition^c, n (%)				0.07
Dementia	28 (25.5)	20 (33.9)	8 (15.7)
Mild cognitive impairment	4 (3.6)	2 (3.4)	2 (3.9)
Psychiatric illness	14 (12.7)	5 (8.5)	9 (17.6)
Other cognitive impairment	18 (16.4)	12 (20.3)	6 (11.8)
No impairment	46 (41.8)	20 (33.9)	26 (51.0)
Baseline functional status^{b d}, n (%)				< 0.001
Independent	28 (28.9)	10 (19.2)	18 (40.0)
Impairment in 1–2 domains	44 (45.4)	19 (36.5)	25 (55.6)
Dependent in ≥ 3 domains	25 (25.8)	23 (44.2)	2 (4.4)
Pre-admission residence^{b e}, n (%)				0.03
Home	84 (77.1)	40 (67.8)	44 (88.0)
Nursing home/LTC	13 (11.9)	11 (18.6)	2 (4.0)
Retirement home	9 (8.3)	5 (8.5)	4 (8.0)
Other	3 (2.7)	3 (5.1)
Pre-admission social supports^{b f}, n (%)				0.07
Alone	22 (26.5)	8 (19.5)	14 (33.3)
Alone with external supports	12 (14.5)	9 (22.0)	3 (7.1)
Living with family	32 (38.6)	13 (31.7)	19 (45.2)
Living with family with external supports	17 (20.5)	11 (26.8)	6 (14.3)
History of previous delirium^b, n (%)	32 (33.3)	18 (36.7)	14 (29.8)	0.61
Charlson Comorbidity Index, median [IQR]	2.0 [1.0–4.0]	2.0 [1.0–4.0]	2.0 [1.0–3.0]	0.18
Number of home medications, mean (SD)	8.9 (4.9)	9.3 (5.5)	8.4 (4.1)	0.31
Length of stay, median days [IQR]	8.5 [5.0, 22.8]	7.0 [3.0-18.5]	13.0 [7.0-28.5]	0.01

LTC long term care
^aComparing medicine vs. surgery
^bIndicates missing data (n). Language (n = 2), Functional status (n = 13), Residence (n = 1), Supports (n = 1), Previous delirium (n = 14). Proportions were calculated without missing data
^cBaseline cognition was assessed based on the patient’s documented past medical history. Psychiatry illness (inclusive of any DSM5 diagnosis), other cognitive impairment (included documentation of memory issues/decline without formal diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia)
^dBaseline functional status was assessed based on their independence with basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADLs, IADLs). Independent (no BADL or IADL impairment), impairment (assistance with one to two BADLs or one to two IADLs), dependent (assistance with more than two BADLs)
^eOther category included complex continuing care, long-term care unit in hospital
^fBaseline social supports were evaluated for patients who resided at home (n = 84) and excluded those living in institutionalized care. External supports included both government and privately funded services (e.g. personal support worker, home care)

ISSN: 1471-2318