Using multidimensional prognostic indices to improve cost-effectiveness of interventions in multimorbid, frail older persons (MPI_AGE)

PI of the Swedish work package: Anna-Karin Welmer, anna-karin.welmer@ki.se

This project aims to verify the usefulness of the Multidimensional Prognostic Index or MPI (http://www.mpiage.eu/home) in predicting adverse health outcomes such as mortality and hospitalization in older adults from different geographical areas and population groups across Europe. The MPI is a tool that is based on a standard comprehensive geriatric assessment and predicts short- and long-term mortality in older adults. It includes 63 items distributed in eight domains: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, Mini Nutritional Assessment, Exton-Smith Scale, Cumulative Index Rating Scale – Comorbidity Index, number of drugs used, and co-habitation status.

The researchers will achieve their aim by analyzing multi-national databases that have information on prescriptions and the health and demographic characteristics of older adults.

The general objective of the project is to reduce unnecessary use of health resources by using the MPI to determine the best use of interventions in frail and pre-frail older adults who have multiple diseases and take multiple drugs. The project aims to assure that health resources are distributed in accordance with the needs of older adults. Moreover, the project will contribute to one of the principal objectives of the second programme of community action in the field of health (2008-13) by generating and spreading health information, gathering evidence for policy makers, and translating clinical practice into policy strategy.

MPI_AGE is co-funded by the Health Programme of the European Union. Partners include the Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria, European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, Universitätsklinikum Köln Geriatrics Department, Karolinska Institutet, Erasmus Universitair Medisch Centrum, Servicio Madrileno de Salud, Fundacion Para la Investigacio Biomedica del Hospital Universitario Ramon Y Cajal, University Hospital Poitiers, and Charles University Prague.