Objective: This study investigated the relationship between family caregivers' mental health and postoperative recovery for elderly patients with hip fracture in Taiwan.
Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up on 276 family caregiver-patient dyads. Categories of caregiver mental-health trajectory groups were identified by latent-class finite-mixture modeling. Differences in these groups were explored using the generalized estimating equation approach for effects on patients' postoperative recovery, including pain intensity, range of motion, maximum muscle strength, recovery of self-care ability, mobility, re-hospitalization, and health-related quality of life.
Results: The patterns of family caregivers' mental health best fit a three-group trajectory model (poor, moderate, and good). Compared to patients with caregivers in the "poor" mental health group, patients with caregivers in the "good" group had better trajectories in physical functional recovery, including mobility, muscle strength, hip flexion and extension, and ankle extension. These patients were also less likely to be hospitalized, experienced less pain, and had better physical and mental health. Patients with caregivers in the "moderate" group likewise performed better than those in the "poor" group.
Conclusion: During the first year following discharge, postoperative recovery of patients after hip fracture was associated with their family caregivers' mental health. When a family caregiver's mental health was "poor," the patient recovering after hip-fracture surgery was more likely to recover poorly. These results suggest that health care providers could consider family caregivers' mental well-being while estimating recovery times and health outcomes of patients following hip fracture.
Keywords: Elderly care recipients; Family caregivers; Hip fractures; Longitudinal change; Mental health; Postoperative recovery.
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