Evaluation of the Functional Status of Patients Admitted to a Medical Clinic Ward: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives: To characterize the functional status of patients admitted to a medical clinic ward and to compare clinical variables according to functional level. The secondary objective was to verify if a low functional level was associated with worse clinical outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with adult patients admitted to a university hospital between May and July 2019. Functional independence was assessed using the Barthel Index. Patients were grouped according to their Barthel Index score: severe dependency (<60 points), moderate dependency (60-80 points), and independent (>85 points). Variables among the groups were analyzed using the Chi-square test and ANOVA. The analysis of variables associated with the length of hospital stay was performed using multiple linear regression. Results: We included 97 patients, 52.5% female, with a mean age of 63.3 (17.7) years, and 86 (88.7%) had comorbidities. The majority of patients (85.6%) were referred from the emergency care unit. Respiratory diseases were the main causes of hospitalization (33%). Only 19.1% were functionally independent. Patients with moderate to severe functional dependency had a higher need for hospital readmission (p=0.040). The time of hospitalization until referral to a reference hospital (p=0.011) was an independent factor associated with a longer hospital stay. Conclusion: It was found that patients admitted to the ward within the first 24 hours had a low functional level. Functionally dependent patients, compared to independent ones, had a higher readmission rate.