Activities of Daily Living Assessment Early in Hospitalization Is Associated With Key Outcomes

Importance: Assessing patients’ activities of daily living (ADLs) function early in hospitalization may help identify patients at risk for poor outcomes. Objective: To investigate the association between patients’ ADL function at hospital admission and length of stay, inpatient falls, hospital-acquired pressure injuries, and discharge disposition. Design: Retrospective cohort study using scores collected on the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Inpatient Activity Short Form (AM-PAC IASF) in routine care at admission. Setting: Two inpatient units at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Participants: Hospitalized patients with various diagnoses, including neurosurgical, stroke, and general neurology (N 5 1,899). Results: People with lower AM-PAC scores (every 10-point difference) had increased odds (odds ratio [OR] 5 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 5 1.4–1.8) of being in the highest length-of-stay quartile (≥8 days), having an injurious fall (OR 5 1.7; 95% CI 5 1.3–2.2), acquiring a pressure injury (OR 5 2.7; 95% CI 5 1.5–5.3), and being discharged to a postacute care facility (OR 5 3.02; 95% CI 5 2.1–2.7).