Effect of Physical Activity during Early Hospitalization on Activities of Daily Living in Older Patients with Acute Infectious Diseases in Community-Based Integrated Care Wards

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the effects of physical activity during early hospitalization, classified into therapy and non-therapy times, on the improvement of activities of daily living (ADL) in older patients with acute infectious diseases admitted to community-based integrated care wards.

Methods: Sixty older patients with acute infectious diseases transferred from acute care wards to community-based integrated care wards were included. Physical activity was categorized into therapy and non-therapy times. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using Functional Independence Measure (FIM) gain as the dependent variable to evaluate its association with physical activity.

Results: Light physical activity (LPA) was significantly associated with FIM gain during both therapy (β=0.406, p=0.006) and non-therapy times (β=0.331, p=0.031).

Conclusions: In older patients with acute infectious diseases admitted to community-based integrated care wards, greater LPA during early hospitalization, assessed during both therapy and non-therapy times, was positively associated with improvements in ADL.