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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Oct 28.
Published in final edited form as: JAMA. 2009 Aug 5;302(5):517–526. doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1109

Table 4.

Reported and Confirmed Elder Self-neglect Stratified by Cognitive Function and Physical Functiona

Total No. Reported
Self-neglect,
No. (%)
No Abuse
Reported,
Deaths per 100
Person-Years
Reported Self-neglect Adjusted HR
(95% CI)b
P
Value
Mortality Cases Mortality
Intervals,
y
Deaths
per 100
Person-
Years
Cognitive function tertiles for MMSE
      Group 1 (score <20)
864 725 (83.9) 264 (30.6) 12.09 ≤1 256.67 7.96 (6.08–10.42) <.001
>1 20.63 5.28 (3.71–7.54) <.001
      Group 2 (score 20–25) 1797 1063 (59.2) 460 (26.6) 6.29 ≤1 279.27 5.28 (4.32–6.44) <.001
>1 12.39 2.18 (1.78–2.69) <.001
      Group 3 (score 26–30) 6352 2308 (36.3) 776 (12.2) 3.89 ≤1 282.25 6.37 (5.42–7.48) <.001
>1 6.08 1.33 (1.11–1.60) <.001
Physical function tertiles for repeated chair stands
      Group 1 (0–1 times)
1904 1264 (66.4) 660 (34.7) 7.84 ≤1 257.91 7.15 (5.97–8.57) <.001
>1 12.25 2.84 (2.28–3.56) <.001
      Group 2 (2–3 times) 3145 1406 (44.7) 451 (14.3) 4.84 ≤1 272.33 6.31 (5.16–7.72) <.001
>1 8.52 1.62 (1.31–2.01) <.001
      Group 3 (4–5 times) 3711 1213 (32.7) 326 (8.8) 3.50 ≤1 310.61 8.82 (6.89–11.28) <.001
>1 5.77 1.45 (1.10–1.92) .004
Confirmed
Self-neglect, (%)
No Confirmed
Abuse,
Deaths per 100
Person-Years
Confirmed
Self-neglect
Mortality Cases Mortality
Intervals,
y
Deaths
per 100
Person-
Years
Cognitive function tertiles for MMSE
      Group 1 (score <20)
864 725 (83.9) 228 (26.4) 12.53 ≤1 266.15 6.98 (5.29–9.21) <.001
>1 21.34 4.50 (3.13–6.48) <.001
      Group 2 (score 20–25) 1797 1063 (59.2) 373 (20.8) 6.49 ≤1 289.86 5.29 (4.27–6.54) <.001
>1 13.61 2.18 (1.75–2.71) <.001
      Group 3 (score 26–30) 6352 2308 (36.3) 592 (9.3) 3.97 ≤1 289.06 6.35 (5.34–7.55) <.001
>1 6.58 1.26 (1.03–1.55) .01
Physical function tertiles for repeated chair stands
      Group 1 (0–1 times)
1904 1264 (66.4) 567 (29.8) 8.21 ≤1 265.96 6.33 (5.26–7.63) <.001
>1 12.71 2.49 (1.99–3.14) <.001
      Group 2 (2–3 times) 3145 1406 (44.7) 339 (10.8) 4.95 ≤1 289.61 6.52 (5.24–8.11) <.001
>1 9.35 1.54 (1.22–1.95) <.001
      Group 3 (4–5 times) 3711 1213 (32.7) 235 (6.3) 3.55 ≤1 303.07 9.79 (7.51–12.75) <.001
>1 6.69 1.64 (1.21–2.23) <.001

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination.

a

The reference categories for the stratified analyses are those participants in each of the cognitive function or physical function categories who did not have reported or confirmed elder self-neglect or elder abuse. The MMSE was excluded in the stratified analyses of cognitive function and the chair stand was excluded in the stratified analyses of physical function. Low levels of cognitive or physical function correspond to group 1 and high levels correspond to group 3.

b

Adjusted for age, sex, race, education (years completed), income, age × education, sex× education, medical conditions, MMSE score, chair stand, marital status, weight loss, alcohol use (>12 drinks in last 12 months), cigarette smoking (ever), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score, and social network.