Institutionalization in the elderly: The role of chronic diseases and dementia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a population-based study

A population-based study of 1810 persons, aged J5f, was investigated to eva luate the role of dementia and other chronic diseases as determinants of in stitutionalization in the elderly. The study population was examined at bas eline and after a 3-year interval. After adjustment for sociodemographic ch aracteristics, functional dependence, dementia, cerebrovascular disease and hip fracture were associated with living in an institution at baseline. Ad ditionally, functional dependence, hip fracture and dementia were also asso ciated with moving to an institution during the 3-year follow-up. In a simi lar analysis, including only nondemented subjects, the Mini-Mental State Ex amination emerged as one of the strongest determinants. The population attr ibutable risk percentage of institutionalization during the 3-year follow-u p due to dementia was 61%. This study confirms that dementia and cognitive impairment are the main contributors to institutionalization in the elderly , independently of their sociodemographic status, social network, or functi onal status. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.