Article

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether an occupational therapy intervention combined with
physiotherapy rehabilitation improved hip fracture patient outcomes regarding
emotional distress, fatigue, independence and function. DESIGN: Randomized
controlled trial. SETTING: Inpatient trauma ward in a rehabilitation and trauma
hospital. PARTICIPANTS:
One hundred and twenty-two patients admitted into
hospital for hip fracture. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to a
standard care group (SC, n = 61) or a combined treatment group (CT, n = 61). The
SC group received conventional hospital care for hip fracture patients and the CT
group underwent occupational therapy as well. MAIN MEASURES: Patients' emotional
distress (GHQ-28), perceived fatigue (the first item of the BASDAI using a 0-100
visual analogue scale scale), level of independence (Modified Barthel Index) and
function (Harris Hip Score) were measured at baseline and one, three and six
months after the intervention. RESULTS: Patients in the CT group experienced a
considerable decrease of emotional distress at three and six months (p = 0.005
and p < 0.001, respectively). A between-group analysis showed significant
differences in emotional distress at one, three and six months (p < 0.001).
Although fatigue levels decreased in the SC group, the most significant decline
was reported by the CT group at six months (p < 0.001, mean difference = 14
points). Regarding independence level, significant differences were found within
groups at each stage, but also between groups at one month in favor of the CT
group. Function improved in both groups compared with baseline (p < 0.001), but
no significant differences were found in functionality between groups.
CONCLUSION: Although both groups reported significant improvements, patients in
the CT group had better scores in emotional distress and dependence throughout
follow-up and better scores in all measures at six months.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2013.

Langue : ANGLAIS