Effect of Indwelling Urinary Catheter on Mobility Among Older Patients During Hospitalization

BACKGROUND: Urinary catheters have been characterized as “one point restraints” because of their potential effects on patient mobility. However, the actual effect of urinary catheters on mobility has not been studied directly. Objective: Demonstrate the effect of urinary catheter on mobility during acute hospitalization among older patients. METHOD: A retrospective case control study was conducted at acute care for elders unit. They were 39 patients in case group who wore a step activity monitor during their stay and also received an indwelling urinary catheter during hospital stay. In control group 60 patients were selected from a database of patients who wore a step activity monitor but did not receive a urinary catheter and matched with control group according to age, gender, prior mobility status, diagnosis, and illness severity. Characteristics of cases and controls were compared using parametric and non-parametric statistics for continuous measures and Chi-Square tests for categorical measures. RESULTS: Cases and controls took an average of 293 and 655 steps-per-day, respectively, while hospitalized (p=0.02). The two groups did not significantly differ by age, gender, illness severity, diagnosis, body mass index, or mobility status prior to admission. Cases did have significantly longer lengths of stay (9 days vs. 5 days, respectively; p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Older patients are less mobile when they receive a urinary catheter during hospitalization. Health care providers should consider the potential effects of urinary catheters on already low levels of mobility in their older patients. Based on these findings urinary catheters can be looked at as restraining devices.