Long-Term Care and Impending Mortality: Influence Upon Place of Death and Hospital Utilization1.

Health care utilization for 4,256 randomly selected elderly decedents was analyzed in the 4 years leading up to death, using data from Manitoba's universal health care plan files. Usage of hospital beds by nursing home residents declined with age, and was much lower than for decedents who lived in the community. Rates of surgery were lower for the nursing home residents. Institutionalized elderly died much less often in hospitals than community residents, particularly the very elderly and longer-term patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]