Effect of hospital elder life program on the incidence of delirium: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to investigate the effect of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) on the incidence of delirium, delirium scores, length of hospital stay, and incidence of falls. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched from inception until January 18, 2024. The search specifically targeted randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two independent researchers conducted literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4.1 and Stata 15.1 software. Results: The final analysis included a total of 9 RCTs with 2583 patients. The findings from the meta-analysis indicated that HELP was found to considerably reduce the incidence of delirium and the length of hospital stay when compared to the control group. Nevertheless, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of delirium scores and fall rates. Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, HELP can effectively reduce the incidence of delirium and lead to a shorter hospital stay.