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Review
. 2018 May-Jun;39(3):336-343.
doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2017.11.003. Epub 2017 Dec 14.

Measurement of function in older adults transitioning from hospital to home: an integrative review

Daniel Liebzeit  1 , Barbara King  2 , Lisa Bratzke  2
Affiliations
Review

Measurement of function in older adults transitioning from hospital to home: an integrative review

Daniel Liebzeit et al. Geriatr Nurs. 2018 May-Jun.

Abstract

Older adults often experience decline in functional status during the transition from hospital to home. In order to determine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent functional decline, researchers must have instruments that are reliable and valid for use with older adults. The purpose of this integrative review is to: (1) summarize the research uses and methods of administering functional status instruments when investigating older adults transitioning from hospital to home, (2) examine the development and existing psychometric testing of the instruments, and (3) discuss gaps and implications for future research. The authors conducted an integrative review of forty research studies that assessed functional status in older adults transitioning from hospital to home. This review reveals important gaps in the functional status instruments' psychometric testing, including limited testing to support their validity and reliability when administered by self-report and limited evidence supporting their ability to detect change over time.

Keywords: Functional status; Instruments; Older adults; Psychometrics; Transition.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA Flow Diagram of Search Strategy and Study Selection
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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