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Shu H1,2, Ariza-Vega P3, Amarasekera R2, Edwards N2, Filipski M4, Langford D4,5, Madden K6, Ashe MC1,2,7
1University of British Columbia, Family Practice, Vancouver, Canada, 2Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver, Canada, 3University of Granada, Granada, Spain, 4Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, Canada, 5University of British Columbia, Physical Therapy, Vancouver, Canada, 6University of British Columbia, Medicine, Vancouver, Canada, 7The University of Adelaide, Psychology, Adelaide, Australia
Background: Systematic reviews highlight that prolonged sedentary behavior is ubiquitous for patients in the hospital setting, with possible implications for their health and mobility. While “bed rest” was considered usual practice, more recent evidence suggests health benefits by breaking up prolonged sitting and lying. The majority of prior studies have focused on characterizing hospital activity patterns (using behavioral mapping) for people with dementia or stroke. However, there are few, if any, studies which used behavioral mapping to describe mobility in older adults admitted to acute geriatric wards.
Purpose: To use behavioral mapping to describe patients' and visitors' activity patterns in the public areas of acute geriatric wards. We also conducted an environmental scan of the wards.
Methods: This observational study used behavioral mapping to identify individuals´ activity patterns within two hospital wards in Vancouver, Canada. A trained observer surveyed the wards four times an hour over two days, one weekday and one weekend. We documented the indoor built environment, and the behavior of patients and visitors in the public areas of the hospital. We identified 3 to 4 stations on each ward for observations (5 to 10 seconds in duration) to count the number of people who were present, distinguish their role, approximate age, gender and body position or activity (sitting, standing, walking). For the environmental scan, the observer noted potential opportunities for mobility in the ward (i.e., handrails, chairs, benches, etc.), and identified obstacles which may impede activity (i.e., food or laundry carts, etc.). We tabulated results and compared the observed and actual (admitted) number of patients. We also provide a description of activity across the day (by ward) and explored differences and similarities in activity patterns.
Results: We observed few observations of patients in the public areas of the wards, and in a majority of observations (61%) the patient was sitting. There were differences between wards. In the public areas of the ward, there were a greater number of male patients observed on the weekdays, and a greater number of female patients observed on the weekend days. Further, there were also more visitors on the weekend.
Conclusion(s): There were few instances of patients observations in the hospital wards during the day, with over half of the activity recorded as sitting. This work is the first step towards understanding patterns of activity within acute geriatric wards.
Implications: Given the low levels of patient mobility in acute geriatric wards, it is time to address this important area of health care to understand what best supports older patients in their road to recovery.
Keywords: behavioral mapping, hospital, sedentary behavior
Funding acknowledgements: This study was unfunded.
Purpose: To use behavioral mapping to describe patients' and visitors' activity patterns in the public areas of acute geriatric wards. We also conducted an environmental scan of the wards.
Methods: This observational study used behavioral mapping to identify individuals´ activity patterns within two hospital wards in Vancouver, Canada. A trained observer surveyed the wards four times an hour over two days, one weekday and one weekend. We documented the indoor built environment, and the behavior of patients and visitors in the public areas of the hospital. We identified 3 to 4 stations on each ward for observations (5 to 10 seconds in duration) to count the number of people who were present, distinguish their role, approximate age, gender and body position or activity (sitting, standing, walking). For the environmental scan, the observer noted potential opportunities for mobility in the ward (i.e., handrails, chairs, benches, etc.), and identified obstacles which may impede activity (i.e., food or laundry carts, etc.). We tabulated results and compared the observed and actual (admitted) number of patients. We also provide a description of activity across the day (by ward) and explored differences and similarities in activity patterns.
Results: We observed few observations of patients in the public areas of the wards, and in a majority of observations (61%) the patient was sitting. There were differences between wards. In the public areas of the ward, there were a greater number of male patients observed on the weekdays, and a greater number of female patients observed on the weekend days. Further, there were also more visitors on the weekend.
Conclusion(s): There were few instances of patients observations in the hospital wards during the day, with over half of the activity recorded as sitting. This work is the first step towards understanding patterns of activity within acute geriatric wards.
Implications: Given the low levels of patient mobility in acute geriatric wards, it is time to address this important area of health care to understand what best supports older patients in their road to recovery.
Keywords: behavioral mapping, hospital, sedentary behavior
Funding acknowledgements: This study was unfunded.
Topic: Older people; Disability & rehabilitation; Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: The University of British Columbia
Ethics committee: Behavioral
Ethics number: H17-00972
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
