Predicting Factors on Functional Recovery Post Operative Hip Fracture in Older Persons

Abstract

The objective of this study is to predict the effects of the fear of falling, depression, and social support on the functional recovery of post-operative older persons with hip fracture using the concept of the Transition Theory. The subjects in this study were older persons who had undergone surgical treatment of hip fracture in Bhumibol Adulyadej hospital, Lerdsin hospital, Police General hospital or Somdech Phra Pinklao hospital. The purposive samples were a total of 78 older persons. The instruments used in this study consisted of questionnaires recording illness, treatment, and personal data, the Thai Falls Efficacy Scale-International (Thai FES-I), the Thai Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS), MOS social support survey, and the Modified Barthel Activity of Daily Index (MBAI). The data were analyzed using Stepwise Regression. The results of this study revealed that 47.4% of patients had fear of falling at a high level, 93.9% had no depression, 75.6% had a social support at the highest level, 87.2% were dependent on caregivers at a low level. Depression and social support can explain the variation in functional recovery of 23.9% (R2 = .239, p < .01). The results of this study support the ideology of the Transition Theory, in that facilitating factors and inhibitory factors may affect the transition process from illness. The results showed patients who didn’t have depression, with good social support, might facilitate good functional recovery, and be good in the activities
of daily living. The fear of falling might not have inhibitory effect on transition. The results also showed that 62.8% of patients were taken care of by their children who facilitated the rehabilitation program, and even though the patients had a fear of falling it did not disturb their functional recovery. Nurses should facilitate families to be part of the patients’ care, including depression surveillance.