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ADJUSTMENT OF PATIENTS AFTER HIP SURGERY *
Author(s) -
Kupfer David J.,
Detre Thomas P.,
Swigar Mary E.,
Southwick Wayne O.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1971.tb02537.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , borderline intellectual functioning , social functioning , disease , physical therapy , intellectual disability , surgery , psychiatry , cognition
A bstract The relationship between intellectual functioning and postoperative adaptation was investigated in 25 geriatric patients who required surgery for hip fracture. One year after operation, two groups were formed on the basis of responses to a structured interview questionnaire. The two groups were: A) 10 well‐adjusted patients, and B) 10 poorly‐adjusted patients. The poorly‐adjusted patients with decreased general and psychosocial functioning showed impairments with respect to remote memory, simple calculation, and abstract thinking. They also had more cardiovascular disease in comparison to the well‐adjusted group. Three alternative interpretations of the data are discussed: 1) the impairment in intellectual and social functioning in group B may have represented postoperative deterioration and thus caused the poor adjustment; 2) subtle signs of intellectual impairment may have escaped detection before surgery in group B; and 3) the baseline intellectual functioning of group A may have been higher preoperatively and consequently the better adjustment may have reflected the same trend post‐operatively. An interview form (KDS™—10) is presented which can facilitate testing both before surgery and at various intervals during the follow‐up period.