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Social Disparities, Delirium Occurrence, and Related Outcomes Among Hospitalized Older Adults
Alan P. Pan, Kathryn L. Agarwal, Thomas B. H. Potter, Karim Borei, Sara Nowakowski, Courtenay R. Bruce, George E. Taffet, Farhaan Vahidy. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2025-09-30
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
A total of 260,200 older adults were screened for delirium (median [IQR] age in years: 78.0 [74.0-84.0]; female: 143,402 [55.1%]; non-Hispanic Black: 40,737 [15.8%]; Hispanic: 30,760 [11.9%]; median [IQR] Area Deprivation Index: 4.0 [2.0-6.0]; median [IQR] Charlson Comorbidity Index: 10.0 [8.0-13.0]). Rates of D-POA were 25.5% across all screened patients. Among patients delirium-free at admission, 10.4% later acquired HAD. In addition to known risk associations with older age and comorbidity burden, increased odds of D-POA were observed for non-Hispanic Black patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.49, 1.44-1.54), Hispanic patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.26-1.36), higher ADI-defined socio-economic marginalization (aOR, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.00-1.01), and prior dementia (aOR: 6.53, 6.37-6.68). HAD risks were also higher for males (aOR, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.04-1.11), non-Hispanic Black patients (1.39, 1.32-1.46), Hispanic patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.21-1.35), residence in higher ADI neighborhoods (aOR, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.02-1.03), and prior dementia (aOR, 95% CI: 2.44, 2.34-2.53). Effects of delirium on poor hospital outcomes did not differ by socio-demographic sub-groups. Delirium risks were higher among minoritized and socio-economically marginalized older adults. These findings present an opportunity to consider social marginalization as an important factor in delirium risk stratification.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
The record lists 260,200 participants. Among 260,200 hospitalized older adults screened for delirium, this study found higher odds of delirium for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients, those in higher Area Deprivation Index neighborhoods, and those with prior dementia. Reported effect size: 55.1%; 15.8%; 11.9%.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Pan, A. P., Agarwal, K. L., Potter, T. B. H., Borei, K., Nowakowski, S., Bruce, C. R., et al. (2025). Social Disparities, Delirium Occurrence, and Related Outcomes Among Hospitalized Older Adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.70137
Vancouver
Pan AP, Agarwal KL, Potter TBH, Borei K, Nowakowski S, Bruce CR, et al. Social Disparities, Delirium Occurrence, and Related Outcomes Among Hospitalized Older Adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2025. doi:10.1111/jgs.70137. PMID: 41024674.
BibTeX
@article{pan2025-41024674,
author = {Pan, Alan P. and Agarwal, Kathryn L. and Potter, Thomas B. H. and Borei, Karim and Nowakowski, Sara and Bruce, Courtenay R. and Taffet, George E. and Vahidy, Farhaan},
title = {{Social Disparities, Delirium Occurrence, and Related Outcomes Among Hospitalized Older Adults}},
journal = {Journal of the American Geriatrics Society},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1111/jgs.70137},
pmid = {41024674},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.70137}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- A total of 260,200 older adults were screened for delirium (median [IQR] age in years: 78.0 [74.0-84.0]; female: 143,402 [55.1%]; non-Hispanic Black: 40,737 [15.8%]; Hispanic: 30,760 [11.9%]; median [IQR] Area Deprivation Index: 4.0 [2.0-6.0]; median [IQR] Charlson Comorbidity Index: 10.0 [8.0-13.0]).
- Rates of D-POA were 25.5% across all screened patients.
- Among patients delirium-free at admission, 10.4% later acquired HAD.
- In addition to known risk associations with older age and comorbidity burden, increased odds of D-POA were observed for non-Hispanic Black patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.49, 1.44-1.54), Hispanic patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.26-1.36), higher ADI-defined socio-economic marginalization (aOR, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.00-1.01), and prior dementia (aOR: 6.53, 6.37-6.68).
- HAD risks were also higher for males (aOR, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.04-1.11), non-Hispanic Black patients (1.39, 1.32-1.46), Hispanic patients (aOR, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.21-1.35), residence in higher ADI neighborhoods (aOR, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.02-1.03), and prior dementia (aOR, 95% CI: 2.44, 2.34-2.53).
Why it matters
Among 260,200 hospitalized older adults screened for delirium, this study found higher odds of delirium for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients, those in higher Area Deprivation Index neighborhoods, and those with prior dementia. It suggests that social marginalization should be considered an important factor in delirium risk stratification.
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Study details
- Participants260,200
- Effect size55.1%; 15.8%; 11.9%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: journal h-index 344 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 260,200 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Farhaan Vahidy: h-index 35 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Baylor College of Medicine: institution h-index 1,607 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41024674) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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