PURPOSE: The prevalence of risk factors for adverse drug events (ADEs) in patients discharged from the hospital to various care settings was studied. METHODS: Data on patient risk characteristics for ADEs were collected for hospital discharges for 2000. Differences in the prevalence of 10 risk characteristics among home health care (HHC), self-care (SC), and long-term-care (LTC) patients at the point of discharge were determined. RESULTS: Data for 4250 discharges were analyzed. The three groups differed significantly in the distribution of risk characteristics. HHC patients had the highest prevalence of heart failure, cardiovascular medication use, and polypharmacy, and LTC patients had the highest prevalence of hypoalbuminemia, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric drug use. CONCLUSION: The risk of ADEs in patients discharged to HHC appeared to be comparable to or higher than that in patients discharged to LTC.
PURPOSE: The prevalence of risk factors for adverse drug events (ADEs) in patients discharged from the hospital to various care settings was studied. METHODS: Data on patient risk characteristics for ADEs were collected for hospital discharges for 2000. Differences in the prevalence of 10 risk characteristics among home health care (HHC), self-care (SC), and long-term-care (LTC) patients at the point of discharge were determined. RESULTS: Data for 4250 discharges were analyzed. The three groups differed significantly in the distribution of risk characteristics. HHCpatients had the highest prevalence of heart failure, cardiovascular medication use, and polypharmacy, and LTC patients had the highest prevalence of hypoalbuminemia, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric drug use. CONCLUSION: The risk of ADEs in patients discharged to HHC appeared to be comparable to or higher than that in patients discharged to LTC.