Decline in Quality of Life for Patients Waiting for Joint Replacement Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Ilana N Ackerman, Kim L Bennell, Richard H Osborne
Primary Institution: The University of Melbourne
Hypothesis
Do patients with severe joint disease experience further deterioration in health-related quality of life while waiting for surgery?
Conclusion
More than half of the patients awaiting joint replacement surgery experienced a decline in their health-related quality of life during the waiting period.
Supporting Evidence
- 53% of participants experienced a clinically important decline in health-related quality of life.
- Participants reported significant worsening in pain, fatigue, and overall quality of life.
- Waiting times for surgery averaged 286 days, with many waiting over 6 months.
Takeaway
Many people waiting for joint surgery feel worse while they wait, with their quality of life getting lower over time.
Methodology
Patients completed questionnaires assessing quality of life and psychological distress before and after entering the waiting list for surgery.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may be subject to recall bias.
Limitations
The study was conducted at a single hospital and many participants were not scheduled for surgery by the end of the data collection period.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 67 years, with 59% female and 78% reporting osteoarthritis.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02
Confidence Interval
95%CI -0.08 to -0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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