Background
Common fall-related injuries including hip fracture may put elderly individuals at risk for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Similar to Fear of Falling (FoF), PTSD could negatively impact physical recovery due to behavioral avoidance.
Methods
We examined rates of partial and full posttraumatic stress disorder (pPTSD and fPTSD) and compared them to rates of FoF in 456 individuals age 60 and older who were admitted as inpatients for surgical hip fracture repair after a fall. PTSD and FoF were assessed four and twelve weeks postsurgery. We also analyzed baseline characteristics including depression, stress, pain, cognitive functioning, and anesthesia type as potential predictors of PTSD symptoms 12 weeks postsurgery.
Results
No patient met criteria for fPTSD at either week four or twelve. Similarly, rates of pPTSD were low at twelve weeks postsurgery (7.4%), in contrast to high rates of FoF symptoms at the same time point (58.5%). Higher ratings of stress and depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with higher levels of PTSD symptoms 12 weeks postsurgery.
Conclusions
Hip fracture, despite its considerable morbidity, does not induce fPTSD and infrequently induces pPTSD. Patients with higher ratings of stress and depression symptoms after hip fracture repair may be more likely to develop PTSD symptoms.