New report examines data from the National Nursing Home Survey

Today, NCHS is releasing “The National Nursing Home Survey: 2004 Overview.” This report examines data from the survey and highlights key findings related to the quality of care, including advance directives, emergency care, and medications taken by nursing home residents. The data highlights include the following:

• In 2004, there were 1.7 million nursing home beds in the United States compared with 1.9 million beds in 1999.

• The number of nursing home residents decreased from 1.6 million in 1999 to 1.5 million in 2004.

• Mental disorders were the second leading primary diagnosis among residents at the time of interview (22%). This represents more than a 20-percent increase over the 1999 estimate, when 18% of nursing home residents had a primary diagnosis for a mental disorder at the time of interview.

• Almost 9 percent of current residents had a fall reported in the 30 days prior to the facility interview.

• About 65 percent of current nursing home residents had at least one type of advance directive.

• In the 90 days prior to the facility interview, almost 11 percent of current nursing home residents had at least one hospitalization or emergency department visit while in the care of the nursing home.

For more information or to speak with one of the report’s authors, please contact the NCHS Press Office at 301-458-4800. The report can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_13/sr13_167.pdf.