Studies Conducted at Harvard University on Hip Replacements Recently Published

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Research findings on Hip Replacements are discussed in a new report. According to news originating from Boston, Massachusetts, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "We sought to understand the association between aggregate health burdenuchronic conditions, functionally limiting health problems and mental well-beinguand the likelihood of hospitalization among older persons post hip replacement surgery. Eight hundred and twenty-eight Medicare recipients from three U.S. states completed a questionnaire 3 years postsurgery."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Harvard University, "Using administrative data (Medicare Provider Analysis and Review), participants were prospectively followed for 12 months postquestionnaire to capture hospitalizations. Using logistic regression, demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics and medical comorbidities were considered as predictors. Subsequently, musculoskeletal (MSK) functional and geriatric problems were added as predictors, then mental well-being and activity limitations. Path analysis was employed to elucidate interrelationships between these predictors, investigating whether mediated effects through mental well-being and activity limitations were operational. Mean age was 76 years (range: 6796); 63% were women; 23% had epsilon 1 hospitalization(s). When medical comorbidity, MSK limitations, and geriatric problems were considered, each was independently associated with hospitalization (odds ratios: 1.3, 1.1, 1.2, respectively). When mental well-being and activity limitations were added, these variables were predictive of hospitalization (odds ratios: 1.2, 1.1, respectively), while MSK limitations and geriatric problems were no longer predictive. Path analysis results suggested that the influence of medical comorbidity and MSK and geriatric problems were mediated through mental well-being and activity limitations. Several health domains predict hospitalization, beyond and including medical comorbidity. Efforts aimed at delaying/minimizing hospitalizations in this population should consider an array of domains for potentially targeted intervention."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "These findings can serve as a baseline against which future research can assess the impact of changes to the health care system."

For more information on this research see: Aggregate Health Burden and the Risk of Hospitalization in Older Persons Post Hip Replacement Surgery. Journals of Gerontology Series A-Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2013;68(3):293-300. Journals of Gerontology Series A-Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences can be contacted at: Oxford Univ Press Inc, Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, NC 27513, USA.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from A.V. Perruccio, Harvard University, Sch Public Hlth, Dept. of Epidemiol, Boston, MA 02115, United States.

Keywords for this news article include: Boston, Massachusetts, United States, Medical Devices, North and Central America

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