OBJECTIVE:

To explore the influence of physical home and social environments and disability patterns on nursing home (NH) use.

DESIGN:

Longitudinal cohort study. Self- or proxy-reported perception of home environmental barriers accessibility, 5 stages expressing the severity and pattern of activities of daily living (ADLs) limitations, and other characteristics at baseline were applied to predict NH use within 2 years or prior to death through logistic regression.

SETTING:

General community.

PARTICIPANTS:

Population-based, community-dwelling individuals (N=7836; ≥70y) from the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging interviewed in 1994 with 2-year follow-up that was prospectively collected.

INTERVENTIONS:

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:

NH use within 2 years.

RESULTS:

Perceptions of home environmental barriers and living alone were both associated with approximately 40% increased odds of NH use after adjustment for other factors. Compared with those with no limitations at ADL stage 0, the odds of NH use peaked for those with severe limitations at ADL stage III (odds ratio [OR]=3.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-4.41), then declined sharply for those with total limitations at ADL stage IV (OR=.96; 95% CI, .33-2.81). Sensitivity analyses for missing NH use showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS:

Accessibility of home environment, living circumstance, and ADL stage represent potentially modifiable targets for rehabilitation interventions for decreasing NH use in the aging U.S. population.

Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.