The present study has other limitations. Data regarding
some potential predictors of nursing home use were not
available. These include presence of a spouse, socioeconomic
status, and presence of medical and neurological comorbid
conditions. However, gender, which is a correlate of spousal
support, was not a predictor of being in a nursing home at
either 90 or 365 days. This is in agreement with others who
have reported that gender or living with a spouse were not
predictive of discharge to a nursing home after hospitalization
for stroke, whereas age, severity of deficit, and length of
hospital stay were predictive.3