Prevalence of depression and anxiety and associated factors among geriatric orthopedic trauma inpatients: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Common mental disorders such as anxiety and depression in geriatric orthopedic trauma patients have received little attention in research.

AIM

To investigate the prevalence of emotional disorders among geriatric orthopedic trauma patients and identify demographic, social and clinical risk factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed in geriatric patients (aged ≥ 60 years, both sexes) with orthopedic trauma admitted to a level I trauma center between May 2015 and December 2017. Demographic, social, and clinical characteristics were described. Huaxi Emotional-Distress Index (HEI) was used to evaluate the severity of anxiety and depression status. Differences in continuous variables were tested using the -test, and differences in categorical variables were assessed using the Pearson test. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with a HEI score > 8.

RESULTS

Among the 966 patients, 487 were male and 479 were female, with a mean age of 70.2 ± 7.1 years. The age ranged from 60 to 90 years. Seventy-five patients had an HEI score > 8, accounting for about 7.8% of all patients. A higher Injury Severity Score (4.17 ± 3.10 7.96 ± 6.68, < 0.001), higher Visual Analog Score (5.05 ± 1.09 6.89 ±1.23, < 0.001), number of chronic diseases ( < 0.001), injury type ( = 0.038), and education level ( = 0.001) were significantly associated with HEI score > 8. On logistic regression, a higher education level was a protective factor for emotional disorders ( = 0.047), whereas Injury Severity Score ( = 0.024), Visual Analog Score ( < 0.001), two or more chronic diseases ( < 0.001) were the related independent risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Emotional disorders are common in geriatric patients with orthopedic trauma. Clinicians should remain vigilant of emotional disorders in geriatric patients and screen for anxiety and depression in higher risk groups.