Using a life course approach to examine the influence of individual and psychosocial characteristics on individual trajectories through the health and aged care systems

Increasing life expectancy has resulted in a higher proportion of older individuals (≥65 years) in the population compared to a decade ago. As the population ages, there will be increasing demand for hospital and aged care services, including permanent residential aged care (RAC), respite RAC, and transitional care. The number of injury-related hospitalisations for older individuals are growing and they account for 27% of hospitalised injury. This research examined factors that influence older individuals transitioning between services and provided a better understanding of the influence of a number of individual and psychosocial characteristics on post-acute care placement of individuals who are hospitalised following an injury. Ultimately, this information can be used to inform and influence policy and planning of post-acute phase healthcare for older individuals and to identify future priority areas for research. This research involved mixed methods, but included a retrospective epidemiological analysis of individuals aged ≥65 years who had an injury-related hospital admission in New South Wales Australia with a linked record in the residential aged care data collection and/or the Aged Care Assessment Program (ACAP) data collection. The data were analysed in the Secure Unified Research Environment (SURE).