Comparison of Risk Factors and 30 day-in Hospital mortality of Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Elderly Patients and Adult Patients: Using Secondary Data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Purpose: This study examines the factors influencing 30-day in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and compares them to those in adult patients.Methods: This secondary analysis used discharge data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, covering the period from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022. Statistical methods included χ² tests, t-tests, the Cox proportional hazards model for calculating adjusted hazard ratios (HR), and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: The study found that older age (Adjusted HR=2.40, 95% CI=2.01-2.85, p<.001) and Emergency Room admissions (Adjusted HR=2.24, 95% CI=1.94-2.59, p<.001) are significantly associated with increased mortality in elderly patients. Other contributing factors include residency area (Adjusted HR=1.73, 95% CI=1.04-2.87, p=.035), hospital setting (Adjusted HR=1.34, 95% CI=1.05-1.70, p=.017), and the number of hospital beds (Adjusted HR=1.27, 95% CI=1.11-1.46, p=.001).Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of improving community health screenings and developing respiratory infection prevention programs for elderly patients, especially those in high-risk areas.