Hip fractures: perspectives of patients and health professionals.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Osteoporotic hip fractures in older people — The perspectives of service users and health care professionals on the impact of disease and post-fracture intervention
IRAS ID
223634
Contact name
Mo Aye
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
IRAS Project I.D, 223634
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
Osteoporosis is a common disease. About 70 000 hip fractures occur each year in the UK. Hip fractures are the most devastating consequence of osteoporosis: 10% die within a month of hip fractures, 30% die within one year following hip fracture. Among the survivors, half are placed in a care home through loss of mobility and independence. Estimated annual health care and social care costs amount to £2 billion.
There are multiple reasons for the poor outcomes. Hip fractures occur in older patients. Many have at least one co-existing long-term condition. At least a third of the patients are frail. The poor outcome of hip fracture may be due to a 'triad' of factors: osteoporosis, long-term conditions and frailty. Many long-term conditions (such as airways disease and rheumatoid disease) cause bone loss and frailty. Frailty leads to falls. Falls lead to fractures. Fractures result in greater frailty and decompensation of long-term conditions, therefore perpetuating a vicious circle.
Current models of care are geared towards individual diseases and medical specialties. Patient's perspective is not explicitly recognised or recorded. Yet, having a hip fracture is a potentially life-changing event: loss of functionality will have physical, psychological and social consequences of immediate concern to the patient. This perception could be different from different health care professional point of view.
This study aims to explore the perspectives of service users (patients) and healthcare professionals on the impact of hip fractures, using qualitative research methods including interviews, focus groups and questionnaires. This study is intended to be the basis for a sociology-informed development of a complex intervention for secondary prevention of osteoporosis.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
19/IEC08/0016
Date of REC Opinion
18 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion