Multilevel Comparisons of Hospital Discharge among Older Adults with a Fall-Related Hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: We examined multilevel factors associated with hospital discharge status among older adults suffering a fall-related hospitalization. DATA SOURCES: The 2011-2013 (n = 131,978) Texas Inpatient Hospital Discharge Public-Use File was used. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Multilevel logistic regression analyses estimated the likelihood of being discharged to institutional settings versus home. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Factors associated with a greater likelihood of being discharged to institutional settings versus home/self-care included being female, white, older, having greater risk of mortality, receiving care in a non-teaching hospital, having Medicare (versus Private) coverage, and being admitted from a non-health care facility (versus clinical referral). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding risk factors for costly discharges to institutional settings enables targeted fall-prevention interventions with identification of at-risk groups and allows for identifying policy-related factors associated with discharge status.

Creating a tipping point: Texas obesity policy actions in review, 2000-2010.

This paper discusses the historical context and current challenges of obesity prevention and control initiatives in Texas to understand how the obesity epidemic has been addressed by multiple interacting stakeholders over the past decade. By reviewing state reports and interviewing key decision makers, this paper chronicles recent efforts in Texas by highlighting health policy initiatives and champions who helped to create the foundation for obesity prevention and control. The findings outline the sentinel policy approaches that were implemented by public/private sector partnerships over the last decade, as well as the public figures that have been singular champions in creating the momentum for these changes. The efforts to address obesity with a collaborative approach in Texas have shown initial promise in creating a tipping point to control the obesity epidemic. These strategies can also serve as a model for obesity prevention and control at the national level.

TCOPPE school environmental audit tool: assessing safety and walkability of school environments.

BACKGROUND: Several environmental audit instruments have been developed for assessing streets, parks and trails, but none for schools. This paper introduces a school audit tool that includes 3 subcomponents: 1) street audit, 2) school site audit, and 3) map audit. It presents the conceptual basis and the development process of this instrument, and the methods and results of the reliability assessments. METHODS: Reliability tests were conducted by 2 trained auditors on 12 study schools (high-low income and urban-suburban-rural settings). Kappa statistics (categorical, factual items) and ICC (Likert-scale, perceptual items) were used to assess a) interrater, b) test-retest, and c) peak vs. off-peak hour reliability tests. RESULTS: For the interrater reliability test, the average Kappa was 0.839 and the ICC was 0.602. For the test-retest reliability, the average Kappa was 0.903 and the ICC was 0.774. The peak-off peak reliability was 0.801. Rural schools showed the most consistent results in the peak-off peak and test-retest assessments. For interrater tests, urban schools showed the highest ICC, and rural schools showed the highest Kappa. CONCLUSIONS: Most items achieved moderate to high levels of reliabilities in all study schools. With proper training, this audit can be used to assess school environments reliably for research, outreach, and policy-support purposes.

Advanced practice nurses' perspectives on the use of health optimization strategies for managing chronic disease among older adults in different care settings: pushing the boundaries of self-management programs.

This study examines the intention of advanced practice nurses (APNs) to utilize health optimization programs (HOPs) for addressing clients' chronic disease in various work settings (i.e., nursing homes or other care settings). A paper-based survey was administered to 270 APNs at a continuing education conference to determine their intentions to refer patients to HOPs for chronic disease management. APNs working in nursing homes were 0.23 times as likely to utilize HOPs for management of their patients' chronic disease compared with their counterparts working in other care settings (odds ratio = 0.23, confidence interval = 0.06-0.80, P = .021). APNs who had previously used a HOP for management of their patients' chronic disease were 5.2 times as likely to do so again relative to those who had not previously used a HOP for management of their patients' chronic disease (odds ratio = 5.17, confidence interval = 1.78-14.99, P = .002). Educational and organizational interventions are recommended to disseminate further HOPs for chronic disease in nursing home settings as part of an overall health optimization strategy.

Understanding the challenges encountered and adaptations made by community organizations in translation of evidence-based behavior change physical activity interventions: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: Designing programs for mid-life to older adults whose sedentary behaviors are associated with increased health risks is crucial. The U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services strongly recommends individually adapted behavior change programs as one approach to increasing physical activity in communities. The purpose of this study is to report challenges organizations faced when translating two evidence-based programs in real-world settings, adaptations made, and whether or not fidelity was negatively impacted by these adaptations. DESIGN: A grounded theory approach to qualitative research was used. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Nine community organizations across the country participated. Two organizations had more than one site participating, for a total of 12 sites from nine organizations. Within those organizations, 2796 participants were part of the program during the first 2 years. Participants were underactive (i.e., not meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American College of Sports Medicine recommendations) mid- to older-aged adults. METHODS: Community organizations participated in monthly conference calls, and program information was entered into an electronic database regularly. Data obtained from the calls and database were used for analyses. RESULTS: Challenges and adaptations emerged in three categories: (1) program logistics, (2) program theory, and (3) program philosophy. CONCLUSION: Challenges were present for community organizations; however, with some level of adaptation, the community organizations were able to effectively deliver and maintain fidelity in two evidence-based physical activity programs to a large and diverse group of mid- to older-aged adults.