Outcomes for Hospitalized Men Noted to Have Problems Associated With Living Alone in the United States.

Abstract

More men live alone than ever before, and this increases their risk for mortality. In-hospital studies for men who have struggles associated with living alone have not been amply studied. We used the 2022 National Inpatient Sample to explore hospital outcomes among men with "problems living alone." Using multivariable regression analyses, we examined in-hospital mortality, length of stay, total hospital charges, and post-discharge disposition. In 2022, 12,109,441 men were admitted to U.S. hospitals. Overall, 45,860 (0.4%) were coded for problems related to living alone, and 12,063,581 (99.6%) were not. Men with problems living alone were older (62.1 ± 17.4 vs. 67.3 ± 15.7; p < .01) and had a higher comorbidity burden, indicated by the Elixhauser mean score (4.04 ± 2.3 vs. 4.35 ± 2.1; p < .01). Men with problems living alone had lower mortality (adjusted odds [aOR] = 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.61, 0.83]; p < .01) and lower hospital charges (adjusted mean difference [aMD] = -$6,374; 95% CI = [-9,707, -3,040]; p < .01). However, they had longer stays (aMD = +0.7 days; 95% CI = [0.52, 0.97]; p < .01) and lower odds of being discharged home (aOR = 0.61; 95% CI = [0.57, 0.64]; p < .01). Men with problems living alone had different in-hospital findings than other men; some of these were surprisingly distinctive. Interventions during hospitalization may be supportive and help optimize reductions in health care resource utilization.