title: Longer term functional outcome and societal implications of upper limb fractures in the elderly.
abstract: To ascertain how they cope with upper limb fractures and the implications for health and social services (H&SS) a cohort of elderly patients was followed up. 42 of the original 51 (82%) patients were interviewed almost one and a half years after sustaining their fracture. Information was collected on ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), general health, and use of H&SS help from informal carers. Although there was an overall improvement in the ability to perform ADL, many (26%) patients reported a residual difficulty. Informal carers provided most of the support with some contribution from the statutory agencies. Demographic changes with increasing numbers of elderly and increasing employment of married women--the traditional carers, and epidemiological changes with increasing age-specific incidence of upper limb fractures mean that H&SS provision in the future will need to be increased.
authors.affiliation: Poole Hospital, Middlesbrough.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madhok
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D012947:Social Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology