title: Functional dependence after hip fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify patients at high risk of functional dependence and examine the progression of disability after a hip fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a population-based prospective inception cohort study of all patients aged 65+ yr who fractured a hip between July 1996 and August 1997. Demographic, socioeconomic, social support, and health status information was assessed in the hospital and 3 mo postfracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis included 367 patients. Almost all patients with cognitive impairment were functionally dependent postfracture, with new disabilities frequently occurring in transferring. Among patients of high mental status, increased risk of functional dependence was associated with advanced age, more co-morbidities, hip pain, poor self-rated health, and previous employment in a prestigeous occupation. Bathing disability was most likely in those who functioned independently prefracture; a disability in dressing was most common otherwise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hip pain is amenable to treatment and may improve chances of functional recovery. Patients can be assisted in regaining prefracture function if they are targeted for rehabilitation on the basis of mental status. The focus should be on bathing and dressing among patients of high cognition and transferring among those patients with mental impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cree
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carriere
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Soskolne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suarez-Almazor
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male