Predictive factors for early unplanned rehospitalization of older adults after an ED visit: role of the caregiver burden

For older adults, an Emergency Department (ED) visit represents a period of vulnerability that extends beyond the visit itself. This study aimed to determine the impact of the role of caregiver, and geriatric conditions of patients on early unplanned rehospitalization (EUR) within 3 months after an ED visit. This prospective longitudinal experimental study included consecutively 173 patients aged 75 and older admitted in an ED over a 2-week period (18.7 % of the total visits). Only older patients having a caregiver were analyzed (78.0 %, n = 135). Medical conditions and a comprehensive geriatric assessment were recorded for each patient. All caregivers were interviewed about their tasks and emotional impact using the short Zarit Burden Inventory. Three months after, patients or their caregivers were called about the vital status, and EUR of patients. Among the patients included, 64.2 % had an EUR and 28.9 % of their caregivers reported a high level of burden. EUR was strongly associated with a high caregiver burden (OR 8.7, 95 % CI 1.5–49.8). No association was found for patient’s medical or geriatric status. Caregivers reported a significantly high burden when patients were malnourished, or were at risk of adverse health outcomes based on the ISAR scale, and when they had greater disabilities in IADLs and ADLs, or cognitive impairments. Many hospital readmissions after an ED visit may be preventable by identifying caregiver’s high burden. Reasons that lead to this high burden should be checked at the first visit.