OBJECTIVES: Delirium in elderly patients is thought as transient phenomenon, therefor often unrecognized by physicians. The aim of this study was to investigate incidence of delirium and to determine risk factors for delirium in elderly hospitalized patients METHODS: We studied 172 patients aged 65 years or older who had been admitted to the elderly medical service at geriatrics center from May 2004 to Sep 2004. Delirium was diagnosed by daily interviews according to the DSM-IV criteria for delirium and the CAM(Confusion Assessment Method). Comprehensive geriatric assessment after stabilization was performed by interdisciplinary team including geriatric nurse specialist. The parameters between delirium and non-delirium groups were investigated, that is laboratory variables, dehydration, infection, immobilization, indwelling foley catheter, sleep deprivation, depression, cognitive impairment, ICU stay, comorbidity(stroke, hypertension, diabetes, dementia) RESULTS: Delirium developed in 33 patients(19.2%). Of these, male was 16(26.2% of total male), female was 17(15.3% of total female). Mean onset of delirium just occurred 5 days later. Most of the patients(81.8%) occurred within day 6. Seventy percent of delirious patients were classified as hyperactive type, 18% as mixed type, 12% as hypoactive type. Forty five percent of delirious patients improved within 24hours. Patients who persisted symptom until in-hospital death or discharge were 13(39%). The mean length of stay for delirious patients was longer than non-delirious patients(p<0.05). This study show that 15 factors appeared to predict delirium significantly: age greater than 80 years, anemia, hyponatremia, infection, sleep deprivation, immobilization, indwelling foley catheter, cognitive impairment, dementia, hypertension, high BUN, low albumin, low cholesterol, low MMSE, low IADL. CONCLUSION: Delirium was recognized in 19.2% of patients in the elderly hospital setting and was also associated with longer hospital stay and increased mortality. By multiple logistic regression, three independent risk factors for delirium was dementia, sleep deprivation, immobilization.
Aged* ; Anemia ; Catheters ; Cholesterol ; Dehydration ; Delirium* ; Dementia ; Depression ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Geriatric Assessment ; Geriatrics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyponatremia ; Immobilization ; Incidence ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mortality ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors* ; Sleep Deprivation ; Specialization

INTRODUCTIONThere have been few studies on public trust in doctors and healthcare systems and this is the first in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA cross-sectional survey was carried out in Redhill in January 2005. Citizens or Permanent Residents aged > or =18 years were randomly selected, one per household to avoid cluster bias, and 361 participated (response rate 68.7%). An interview administered questionnaire included 3 questionnaires measuring public trust: "Interpersonal Trust in Physicians Scale" for primary care doctors; "Trust in Physicians Generally Scale" for the medical profession; and "Trust in Healthcare System Scale" for the Healthcare System. Questions were answered on a Likert scale: 1. Strongly Disagree, 2. Disagree, 3. Neutral, 4. Agree, 5. Strongly Agree. Individual transformed scores of trust (range, 0 to 100) were equally divided into 5 categories with their average being the transformed mean.

RESULTSTrust in primary care doctors (mean 59.7) had proportions (prevalence rates) of: very low 0.3%, low 2.5%, neutral 40.4%, high 54.0%, and very high 2.8%. Trust in the medical profession (mean 61.8) had proportions of: very low 1.0%, low 7.7%, neutral 33.7%, high 47.0%, and very high 10.5%. Trust in the healthcare system (mean 61.5) had proportions of: very low 0.5%, low 4.1%, neutral 40.0%, high 48.7%, and very high 6.7%. For areas of the healthcare system, proportions of high/very high trust were: "Healthcare Providers' Expertise" (70.8%), "Quality of Care" (61.5%), "Patient Focus of Providers" (58.7%), "Information Supply and Communication by Care Providers" (52.3%), "Quality of Cooperation" (43.3%), and Policies of the Healthcare System" (24.6%).

CONCLUSIONSWhile low proportions had low/very low trust, the high proportions with neutral trust and the rather low level of trust in "Policies of the Healthcare System" are causes for concern.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Physicians, Family ; Public Opinion ; Singapore ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Trust