Document Detail


Bath aids and the subsequent development of bathing disability in community-living older persons.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17916117     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the availability of bath aids may forestall the subsequent development of bathing disability.
DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.
SETTING: Greater New Haven, Connecticut.
PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred one nondisabled (required no personal assistance in bathing) community-living residents aged 73 and older.
MEASUREMENTS: The availability of five bath aids (grab bars, bath seat, nonskid mat or abrasive strips, handheld shower spray, and long-handled brush or sponge) was ascertained during a comprehensive home-based assessment. Subsequently, participants were followed with monthly telephone interviews to determine the onset of persistent (i.e., present for at least 2 consecutive months) disability in bathing and were evaluated for disability in three bathing subtasks (bathing transfers, washing whole body, and drying whole body) during the next home-based assessment, which was completed 18 months after the initial assessment.
RESULTS: The presence of a bath seat was associated with a greater likelihood of developing persistent disability in bathing and disability in each of the three bathing subtasks, although these associations were not statistically significant after adjustment for potential confounders. Nonsignificantly greater risk was also observed for grab bars, handheld shower spray, and long-handled brush or sponge. In the adjusted analysis, the presence of nonskid mats or abrasive strips was associated with a 23% lower risk (nonsignificant) of persistent bathing disability and a lower likelihood of developing disability in washing and drying one's whole body, with corresponding odds ratios of 0.28 (P=.003) and 0.38 (P=.030), respectively.
CONCLUSION: In this longitudinal study, the presence of bath aids, with the exception of nonskid mats or abrasive strips, did not forestall the subsequent development of bathing disability. Because it may not be possible to fully account for the effects of self-selection, clinical trials may be necessary to demonstrate the potential value of bath aids in community-living older persons.
Authors:
Thomas M Gill; Ling Han; Heather G Allore
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural     Date:  2007-10-03
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the American Geriatrics Society     Volume:  55     ISSN:  1532-5415     ISO Abbreviation:  J Am Geriatr Soc     Publication Date:  2007 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-11-05     Completed Date:  2007-12-06     Revised Date:  2010-12-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7503062     Medline TA:  J Am Geriatr Soc     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1757-63     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. gill@ynhh.org
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Activities of Daily Living* / classification
Aged
Baths / instrumentation*
Cohort Studies
Connecticut
Disability Evaluation*
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Frail Elderly*
Geriatric Assessment
Humans
Likelihood Functions
Male
Mobility Limitation
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Self-Help Devices*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
K24 AG021507-05/AG/NIA NIH HHS; K24AG021507/AG/NIA NIH HHS; P30AG21342/AG/NIA NIH HHS; R01 AG022993-04/AG/NIA NIH HHS; R01AG022993/AG/NIA NIH HHS; R37 AG017560-08/AG/NIA NIH HHS; R37AG17560/AG/NIA NIH HHS
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