Determinants of Discharge Disposition From Acute Care for Survivors of Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury: Results From a Large Population-Based Cohort Data Set

ObjectiveTo identify determinants of discharge disposition from acute care among survivors of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI), stratified by sex.DesignPopulation-based retrospective cohort study using provincial data in Ontario, Canada. The determinants were grouped into predisposing, need, and enabling factors using the Anderson Behavioral Model.SettingAcute care.ParticipantsSurvivors of HIBI aged ≥20 years at the time of hospitalization and discharged alive from acute care between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2017. There were 7492 patients with HIBI, of whom 28% (N=2077) survived their acute care episode.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresDischarge disposition from acute care, categorized as complex continuing care (CCC), long-term care (LTC), inpatient rehabilitation (IR), home with support, home without support, and transferred to another acute care.ResultsThe discharge dispositions for the 2077 survivors were IR 23.4% (n=487), CCC 19.5% (n=404), LTC 6.2% (n=128), home without support 31.2% (n=647), home with support 15.1% (n=314), and other 4.6%. Multinomial multivariable logistic regression analysis using home without support as the reference category revealed that female patients were significantly more likely than male patients to be discharged to LTC/CCC. Those who were older, were frail, and had longer stay in acute care or special care unit (SCU) were more likely to be discharged to LTC/CCC. The only significant determinant for IR was longer stay in acute care. Survivors with cardiac-related injury were less likely to be discharged to LTC/CCC. Income was a significant factor for male patients but not for female patients in the sex-stratified analysis. The following variables were investigated but were not significant determinants in this study: need factors (comorbidity score, prior psychiatric disorders, health care utilization) and enabling factors (income quintile, rural area of residence).ConclusionsPredisposing (age, sex) and need factors (frailty, acute care days, SCU days, type of injury) were significant determinants of discharge disposition from acute care after HIBI. In spite of a system with universal coverage, sex differences were found, with more female patients being discharged to CCC/LTC rather than IR, controlling for age and other confounders. These findings should be considered in appropriate discharge planning from acute care for survivors of HIBI.