How visitor bans in nursing homes affected residents
The effectiveness and consequences of visitation bans in nursing homes
This project looks at how banning visitors in nursing homes during the COVID period changed infections, hospital stays, deaths, and residents' mental and physical well-being, with attention to people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252893 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The researchers link the dates of state and facility visitor bans to national Medicare records to track infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among nursing home residents. They also use weekly facility-level visitation data in Ohio and open-ended family comments from a statewide satisfaction survey to capture social and care-related harms. Comparisons between residents with and without Alzheimer's disease and related dementias will show who experienced bigger harms. The team uses large administrative datasets and facility reports to identify the trade-offs between infection control and resident well-being.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are nursing home residents and their family caregivers, especially residents with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and their families who can provide survey feedback or have Medicare claims records.
Not a fit: Community-dwelling older adults or people not living in nursing homes are unlikely to be directly affected by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could guide future policies so nursing homes better balance infection protection with residents' emotional support and routine care.
How similar studies have performed: This work is relatively novel because there has been little comprehensive empirical analysis of both infection outcomes and the social/functional harms of visitation bans.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Huiwen — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Xu, Huiwen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.