title: Family caregivers' mental health is associated with postoperative recovery of elderly patients with hip fracture: a sample in Taiwan.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Tzu
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Huey-Shinn
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Traumatological Division, Department of Orthopedics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Section of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: yeaing@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yea-Ing L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Shyu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010146:Pain; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012648:Self Care; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Elderly care recipients; Family caregivers; Hip fractures; Longitudinal change; Mental health; Postoperative recovery