A sample of 175 parents of children treated operatively for orthopedic
problems were interviewed before surgery to ascertain their expectati
ons with regard to specific functional changes postoperatively. They w
ere interviewed about changes from 6 to 12 months after surgery. Medic
al records of a sample of this group were reviewed for any notes about
functional status. Of this group, 54% said a specific function named
preoperatively was ''much better.'' Only a third of the parents from M
exico understood the nature of the procedure performed 6 to 12 months
postoperatively, and only 40% of medical records contained notes about
functional status pre- or postoperatively.