Adults with COVID-19 disability and health risk

Researchers examined 1,279 hospitalization records of people over the age of 18 infected with COVID-19.

Of them, 285 had recorded disabilities. This is close to the 20 percent prevalence in North America.about 26 percent The proportion of the adult population in the United States has a disability.

Disabilities of the people who participated in this study included physical, hearing, and visual disabilities, as well as traumatic brain injury, intellectual disability, and developmental disability.

The breakdown of disabilities in the study is as follows.

• 212 with disabilities
• 18 Hearing or visually impaired
• 24 with traumatic brain injury or developmental disability
• 31 with multiple disabilities

Researchers compared hospitalizations for people with and without disabilities and looked at a variety of possible outcomes, including:

• In-hospital death
• Admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Length of hospital stay
• Unplanned readmission within 30 days, excluding transfer from one facility to another

Results were tailored to many socio-economic factors such as zip code, age, gender, long-term care residence, dementia, and mental illness.

After adjustment, researchers found that people with disabilities had longer hospital stays and an increased risk of readmission within 30 days.

However, the researchers found no significant difference in in-hospital death or ICU admission.

Dr. Michael M. McKeeMPH, an associate professor of family medicine and co-director of the University of Michigan Health and Welfare Center for the Disabled, told Healthline that the findings of the study were consistent with what he saw in his study.

“The findings are similar to what we saw. [in other] “Healthcare-based results,” McKee said. “COVID is just another example of the higher health burden these individuals are struggling with. This is even more complicated in healthcare systems that are not well designed to meet their needs.”

Gail TraucoA patient advocate at a registered nurse, he told the healthline that the high readmission rate may be due to the need for a specialist to see a disabled person.

“The Canadian medical system is [emergency room] Immediate emergency treatment is needed, “explained Trauco.

“But there could be a delay in professional care, which affected the resulting data collected for this publication. Canadian patients have outpatient physiotherapy or respiratory rehabilitation services. You may have been referred to receive. Delayed initiation of this type of discharge follow-up care may be a factor requiring readmission secondary to clinical decline. “

Researchers recommend that medical staff consider disability-related needs when planning people with COVID-19.

Discharge instructions may include:

• Community support
• Community resources
• Special accommodation based on personal restrictions

Trauco also suggests that discharge instructions advise people to:

• Limit exposure to people and places outside the hospital
• If possible, use telemedicine and mobile nursing for spaced medical follow-up by medical staff

In addition, McKee advises, “We need to ensure that these patients are provided with accessible and effective care, health information, vaccines and treatment centers.”

“Everything that is missing creates another barrier that increases the risk of readmission. Discharge instructions need to be clearly stated. This includes certain communication principles (eg plain language, visuals). ), Assistance equipment (amplifier), or an interpreter may be required. Also, it is highly recommended to incorporate a teachback so that they can understand. For some people, support personnel Must also be notified. “

“People with disabilities should pay close attention to the initial symptoms of COVID and COVID mutants and seek immediate medical care to ensure early diagnosis and intervention,” Trauco added. “Delayed diagnosis and treatment increases the risk of serious illness.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not everyone with a disability is at high risk of developing a serious case of COVID-19.

Who is in Higher risk include:

• People with disabilities
• People who have close contact with other people on a daily basis, such as direct support providers and family members
• People who have difficulty understanding information and taking preventive measures such as hand washing and physical distance
• People who have difficulty communicating the symptoms of their illness

According to the CDC, caregivers should wear masks, physically distance, wash their hands, use hand sanitizers frequently, and emphasize the importance of avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated areas. ..

If your primary caregiver becomes ill, you should plan to create a contact list of family, friends, and neighbors who are willing to intervene at least temporarily.