Major life events as antecedents to hip fracture

Background: This study sought to determine whether the number of antecedent life events reported in the year before hip fracture among elderly patient s was normal for the population from which these patients derive. Major lif e events are events such as births, deaths, major financial dealings, and m ajor health changes. Methods: Life events reported in the year before a fall and hip fracture fo r 111 hip fracture patients were compared with those of a control sample of 90 nonfracture, community-dwelling ambulatory elderly. Results: The total number of lift: events was higher in the hip Fracture gr oup (p = 0.0001) than In the community control group. Fracture was also ass ociated with the number of events experienced (adjusted OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1. 6-2.7; p < 0.0007), notwithstanding age, marital status, and education. Conclusion: Older persons who had sustained a fall-related traumatic hip fr acture experienced an increased number of major life events compared with a nonfracture population sample of community-dwelling elderly controls.