Perceived pain and satisfaction with medical rehabilitation after hospital discharge.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between pain and satisfaction with medical rehabilitation in patients with hip or knee replacement approximately 90 days after discharge from inpatient medical rehabilitation.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design.


METHODS
The sample included 2507 patients with hip or knee replacement using information from the IT Health Track medical outcome database.


METHODS
Satisfaction with medical rehabilitation.


RESULTS
The average age was 70.2 years, 66.5% were female, and 88.5% were non-Hispanic white. Pain scores were significantly and inversely associated with satisfaction with medical rehabilitation after adjustment for possible confounding factors. In patients with hip replacement each one-point increase in pain score was associated with a 10% decreased odds ratio (OR) of being satisfied with medical rehabilitation (OR 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84, 0.96). In patients with knee replacement, each one-point increase in pain score was associated with a 9% decreased odds ratio (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87, 0.96) of being satisfied with medical rehabilitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that postoperative pain from hip or knee replacement is associated with reduced satisfaction with medical rehabilitation. Better postoperative pain control may improve a patient's level of satisfaction.
Bergés
Ivonne-Marie
IM
Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0460, USA. imberges@utmb.edu
Ottenbacher
Kenneth J
KJ
Smith
Pamela M
PM
Smith
David
D
Ostir
Genn V
GV
D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception