| Abstract [eng] |
Elderly patients inevitably face various medical conditions and illnesses. Injuries, especially limb fractures, remain one of the major health problems. Limb fracture not only decreases the quality of life, but also causes other side conditions. Depression is one of the most common diseases that occur in older age, especially after an injury. Symptoms of depression disrupt a person's daily activities even further and significantly prolong hospitalization and recovery time. Research purpose. To analyse the connection between quality of life and depression in the elderly patients with limb fractures. Research methodology. The quantitative research was conducted using two standardized questionnaires: SF-36 for assessment of quality of life and PHQ-9 for determination of risk of depression. Research sample consisted of 95 patients. The data was analysed using the statistical software SPSS 23.0.0 for Windows. The research was conducted in accordance with ethical principles. Research results. The assessment of the quality of life after a limb fracture revealed that patient’s everyday life is mostly diminished by physical inactivity and so is the overall assessment of one's health condition. The fracture of an upper limb has less effect on decrease of the quality of life and occurrence of depression than the lower limb. There is a tendency demonstrating that elderly patients have the most negative assessment of the quality of their life and mental health after a limb fracture. Fatigue, lack of energy, insomnia or excessive sleepiness, lack of appetite are the main symptoms of mental health issues in elderly patients after a limb fracture. Suicidal thoughts are the least common. According to the analysis of the connection between quality of life and depression in elderly patients with limb fractures, the occurrence of depression equals to 13.97±6.61 points out of 27 possible. Almost half (47.3%) of elderly patients suffer from severe depressive symptoms with a limb fracture. Conclusion. The quality of life of the elderly patients decreases significantly with a limb fracture. This is directly related to depression. |
