Caregiver Burden and 30-Day Emergency Department Revisits

Is caregiver burden among caregivers of community-dwelling older adult patients associated with emergency department (ED) revisits and revisits resulting in hospitalization within 30 days of discharge from an initial ED visit?In this cohort study of 1409 dyads of patients aged 65 years or older and their caregivers, higher caregiver burden was associated with a modest increase in the likelihood of an ED revisit within 30 days, though not with shorter-term revisits or revisits with hospitalizations.The findings suggest reducing caregiver burden might help prevent returns to the ED within 30 days among community-dwelling older adults.

Corresponding Author: Patrick M. Archambault, MD, MSc, Centre de recherche intégrée pour un système de santé apprenant en santé et services sociaux de Chaudière-Appalaches, 143, rue Wolfe, Lévis, Québec, Canada G6V 3Z1 (patrick.archambault@fmed.ulaval.ca).

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