engleski

Age Distribution and Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients in General County Hospital Požega

Introduction and objectives. Healthcare systems are facing challenges related to sustainability, and costs become higher from year to year. New costs may be associated with new therapeutic options and diagnostic challenges, but mostly with demographic changes associated with an aging population. According to the 2011 census report, there were 17, 94% of those over 65 years old in Požega-Slavonia County. In total of 10016 hospitalizations during 2019 at General County Hospital Požega, 4134 referred to age of over 65, representing 41, 27% of total hospitalizations. Considering this difference, we decided to investigate whether there was a difference in the length of hospitalization between the older and younger than 65 and whether there was a difference in clinical and treatment outcomes. Methods. In the study, we used hospital information system data, analyzing the total number of hospitalized patients in 2019. We distributed the number of hospitalized patients according to the determined age distribution in 5 age groups. Under 18, 18 to 30 years old, 31 to 50 years old, 51 to 65, and finally, older than 65. The length of hospitalization based on age was analyzed and treatment outcomes determined by the system for healed patients, unchanged outcome, improvement, worsening, and death. Kruskal Wallis test was used for statistic analyze. Results. There was a total of 10016 hospitalizations during 2019 at General County Hospital Požega, without gender distribution. There were 836 hospitalizations of younger than 18, 1182 hospitalizations 18 to 30 years old, in range of 31 to 50 years old there were 1575 hospitalizations, 2289 hospitalization of people aged 51 to 65, and 4134 hospitalizations at age older than 65 years. There was no significant difference in duration of hospitalization depending on age. Duration of hospitalization in younger than 65 was 4, 73 days, and 5, 98 days in older than 65 (p=0, 514). Treatment outcomes determined by the hospital information system show better outcomes within younger than 65, such are healed patients outcome 48, 84% (p=0, 001). In older than 65 there were statistically higher prevalence of death clinical outcomes 9, 24 % (p=0, 001). There was no statistical significance in outcomes such as unchanged condition and improvement of clinical condition. Conclusion. Hospitalization length does not depend on patients age, therefore health care costs are not related to the length of hospitalization older than 65 years. Increased mortality in the elderly should be considered in light of demographic characteristics, and not as separate information.

healthcare ; hospitalization ; elderly ; treatment outcome ; Croatia

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