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Apathy After Hip Fracture: A Potential Target for Intervention to Improve Functional Outcomes

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: The authors examined apathy symptoms, their improvement, and their association with functional recovery after a hip fracture. Of 126 participants, 37% had clinically significant apathy symptoms, which predicted functional outcome (i.e., poorer recovery from the fracture among those with higher baseline apathy). Of participants with high baseline apathy, approximately one-third improved; these participants had a better functional outcome than those with persistently high apathy scores. It is concluded that apathy symptoms are common after a hip fracture, but improve in one-third of individuals, with a concomitant functional recovery after hip surgery. Interventions to prevent or improve apathy in elderly persons deserve further attention.

Source: Journal of Neuropsychiatry

DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.21.3.271