Background Patients who were incarcerated were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 compared with the general public. Furthermore, the impact of multidisciplinary rehabilitation assessments and interventions on the outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 is limited. Objective We aimed to compare the functional outcomes of oral intake, mobility, and activity between inmates and noninmates diagnosed with COVID-19 and examine the relationships among these functional measures and discharge destination. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 at a large academic medical center. Scores on functional measures including the Functional Oral Intake Scale and Activity Measure for Postacute Care (AM-PAC) were collected and compared between inmates and noninmates. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the odds of whether patients were discharged to the same place they were admitted from and whether patients were being discharged with a total oral diet with no restrictions. Independent variables were considered significant if the 95% CIs of the odds ratios (ORs) did not include 1.0. Results A total of 83 patients (inmates: n=38; noninmates: n=45) were included in the final analysis. There were no differences between inmates and noninmates in the initial (P=.39) and final Functional Oral Intake Scale scores (P=.35) or in the initial (P=.06 and P=.46), final (P=.43 and P=.79), or change scores (P=.97 and P=.45) on the AM-PAC mobility and activity subscales, respectively. When examining separate regression models using AM-PAC mobility or AM-PAC activity scores as independent variables, greater age upon admission decreased the odds (OR 0.922, 95% CI 0.875-0.972 and OR 0.918, 95% CI 0.871-0.968) of patients being discharged with a total oral diet with no restrictions. The following factors increased the odds of patients being discharged to the same place they were admitted from: being an inmate (OR 5.285, 95% CI 1.334-20.931 and OR 6.083, 95% CI 1.548-23.912), “Other” race (OR 7.596, 95% CI 1.203-47.968 and OR 8.515, 95% CI 1.311-55.291), and female sex (OR 4.671, 95% CI 1.086-20.092 and OR 4.977, 95% CI 1.146-21.615). Conclusions The results of this study provide an opportunity to learn how functional measures may be used to better understand discharge outcomes in both inmate and noninmate patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 during the initial period of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND Patients who were incarcerated were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 compared to the general public. Further, the impact of multidisciplinary rehabilitation assessments and interventions on the outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 is limited. OBJECTIVE To compare functional outcomes of oral intake, mobility, and activity between inmates and non-inmates who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and examine the relationships among these functional measures and discharge destination METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 at a large academic medical center. Scores on functional measures including Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) were collected and compared between inmates and non-inmates. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the odds of 1) whether patients were discharged to the same place they were admitted and 2) patients being discharge with a total oral diet with no restrictions. Independent variables were considered significant if the 95% CIs of the odds ratios (ORs) did not include 1.0. RESULTS A total of 98 patients (inmates, n=48; non-inmates, n=50) were included in the final analysis. There were no differences between inmates and non-inmates on initial (P=.39) and final FOIS scores (P=.27) or on initial, final, or change scores (P>.05) on the AM-PAC. Greater age upon admission decreased the odds (OR=0.925; 95%CI=0.878 to 0.975 and OR=0.923; 95%CI=0.877 to 0.972) of patients being discharged with a total oral diet with no restrictions. The following factors increased the odds of patients being discharged to the same place there were admitted: being an inmate (OR=4.477; 95%CI= 1.110 to 18.062) and (OR=5.049; 95%CI=1.254 to 20.325); “Other” race (OR=9.807; 95%CI=1.283 to 74.943) and (OR=10.540; 95%CI=1.365 to 81.386) CONCLUSIONS Results from this study provide an opportunity to learn how functional measures may be used to better understand discharge outcomes in both inmate and non-inmate patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 during the initial period of the pandemic. CLINICALTRIAL n/a