PERCEIVED HEALTH IN HIP-FRACTURE PATIENTS - A PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW-UP OF 100 PATIENTS

We report the impact of the treatment and rehabilitation in hip-fractu re patients by using self-assessment instruments of perceived health a nd relate them to objective outcome assessments, such as ADL (personal hygiene/dressing), walking ability and technical complications. Subje ctive and objective status for 100 hip-fracture patients admitted from their own home, and rehabilitated in primary health care, were regist ered over 1 year after fracture. Mean age was 74, and 80% of the patie nts were women. Two self-assessment questionnaires: the Nottingham Hea lth Profile (NHP part 1) and the Mood Adjective Checklist (MACL) were answered by the patients 6 and 12 months after fracture and compared w ith functional status (ADL, and walking ability) 4 months after fractu re. Problems related to the hip fracture such as pain and physical mob ility had most effect on the self-assessment questionnaire (NHP) and w ere in accordance with the district physiotherapists' evaluation of fu nction. Patients with complications (resulting in nail extraction and total hip replacement) after the primary hip osteosynthesis and patien ts with a poor function 4 months after fracture had scores in the self -assessment questionnaires indicating a more pronounced and distressin g impact of the disease. Small changes in subjective mood (MACL) were found. In an acute, curable, disease such as hip fracture the objectiv e outcome seems as informative as the subjective evaluations of patien ts' self-assessment.