Shared and Distinct Factors Underlying In-Hospital Mobility of Older Adults in Israel and Denmark (97/100)

Abstract Objective: Low in-hospital mobility is widely acknowledged as a major risk factor in acquiring hospital-associated disabilities. Various predictors of in-hospital mobility limitations have been proposed across studies, however, it is unknown whether similar risk factors are associated with in-hospital mobility across countries, given different mobility measurement methods, variations in measurement of predictors, and differences in populations studied. The study was a secondary analysis of data investigated the relationship between in-hospital mobility and a set of similar risk factors in older adults who were independently mobile prior to hospitalization in acute care settings in Israel (N=206) and Denmark (N=113). In Israel, mobility was measured via ActiGraph GT9X and in Denmark by ActivPal3 up to seven hospital days. Results: Higher level of community mobility prior to hospitalization and higher mobility ability status on admission were common predictors of a higher number of in-hospital steps, whereas longer length of hospital stay was significantly correlated with a lower number in both samples. Risk of malnutrition on admission was correlated with a lower number of steps, but only in the Israeli sample. Despite different measurement methods, older adults’ low in-hospital mobility has similar risk factors in Israel and Denmark: pre-hospitalization mobility and admission mobility ability.