Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published the study.
Here are seven things to know:
1. Researchers found elderly patients made 3.1 million visits to the ER for an infectious disease-related condition in 2012, accounting for 13.5 percent of all visits by the elderly to emergency departments. Of the 3.1 million visits, 57.1 percent resulted in hospitalization.
2. Lower respiratory tract infections accounted for 26.2 percent of all visits.
3. Urinary tract infections accounted for 25.3 percent of all visits and septicemia accounted for 18.9 percent.
4. Pneumonia accounted for 17.5 percent of all visits and influenza accounted for merely 1.1 percent.
5. More elderly patients admitted to the hospital for an infectious disease died in the hospital (0.82 percent) compared to those who died in a hospital from a non-infectious disease (0.44 percent).
6. The proportion of emergency department visits for infectious diseases rose from 12.3 percent for patients between 65 and 74 years of age to 13.7 percent for those between 75 and 84 years of age, and to 15.5 percent for adults 85 years of age and older.
7. Those adults aged 85 years and older accounted for 66.5 percent of all hospitalizations among the elderly.
More articles on quality & infection control:
Perioperative guideline released for optimal management of geriatric patients — 5 things to know
CMS begins infection control and prevention pilot project for nursing homes, hospitals & transfers: 6 things to know
RNs more likely than LPNs to identify medication discrepancies — 5 takeaways
