Paper: Severity of Depressive Symptoms Predict Health Outcomes and Recovery Following Surgery for a Hip Fracture (19th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice)

Wednesday, 9 July 2008

Yea-Ing L. Shyu, PhD, RN , School of Nursing, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: understand how depressive symptoms interface with health related quality of life for hip fractured patients.

Learning Objective 2: understand how depressive symptoms interface with physical activities for hip fractured patients during first year after hospital discharge.

Introduction. This study examines how depressive symptoms interface with the trajectories of physical activities and health related quality of life (HRQoL) during first 12 months after hospital discharge among hip-fractured patients.

Methods. According to the Chinese version of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scores over the 12-month period, the patients (n=147) were classified into: (a) at persistent risk for depression, (b) at transitory risk for depression, and (c) at no risk for depression. Chinese Barthel Index (CBI), and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) Taiwan version were used to measure outcomes. The generalized estimating equations approach was employed.

Results. Patients at no risk for depression (n = 36, 24.5%) were 6.08 times more likely to recover their activities of daily living (ADL), and 10.74 times more likely to recover their walking ability than those who were at persistent risk for depression (n = 46, 31.3%). Significant differences in trajectories of physical and mental component summary scales of SF-36, were found among three different depression group, with “at persistent risk for depression” group being poorest and “at no risk for depression” group being the best.

Conclusion. These results may provide a reference for the development of timely assessments and interventions.

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