Higher patient activation is associated with lower odds of functional limitation in older adults with chronic diseases

Ji Won Lee; Junxin Li; Sarah L Szanton; Qiwei Li; Minhui Liu; Melissa D Hladek

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.008

Higher patient activation is associated with lower odds of functional limitation in older adults with chronic diseases

Geriatr Nurs. 2024 Nov 15:61:157-161. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.008. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ji Won Lee¹, Junxin Li², Sarah L Szanton³, Qiwei Li⁴, Minhui Liu⁵, Melissa D Hladek²

Affiliations

¹ Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, 560 West 168 Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA. Electronic address: Jl6481@cumc.columbia.edu.
² School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
³ School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
⁴ College of Health and Human Sciences, Fresno State University, 2345 E. San Ramon, M/S MH26, Fresno, CA, 93740, USA.
⁵ Ningxia Medical University School of Nursing, Office 612A of Zhixing Building, 1160 Shengli South Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750004, PR China.

PMID: 39549447
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.11.008

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association between patient activation and functional limitation among older adults living with multiple chronic conditions.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a parent study, which examined the relationship between self-efficacy and both inflammatory biomarkers and frailty. We conducted multivariate logistic regression while controlling for the patients' sociodemographic variables and comorbidities to examine the association between self-reported functional limitation and patient activation as measured by the Patient Activation Measure (PAM-10).

Results: We included 159 participants with a mean age of 82.00 ± 6.27 years. While controlling for the patients' demographic, socioeconomic status, and comorbidities, we found that functional limitation decreases by 16 % (OR 0.84, 95 % CI: 0.75, 0.94, p = 0.002) for every one unit increase in patient activation score.

Conclusion: Higher patient activation scores were associated with decreased odds of functional limitation. Providers may consider the potential value of using behavioral activation strategies to address functional decline.

Keywords: Functional limitation; Older adults; Patient activation.