Changes in frailty-related characteristics of the hip fracture population and their implications for healthcare services: evidence from Quebec, Canada.
This study provides evidence that a number of frailty-related characteristics (older age, de novo admission to long-term care (LTC), comorbidities [Charlson Index, osteoporosis, osteoporosis risk factors, sarcopenia risk factors, and dementia]) have increased in the hip fracture population from 2001-2008. This will have significant impact on community resources, as the number of people discharged to the community is also increasing.
The aim of this study is to estimate secular changes in the prevalence of selected frailty-related characteristics among the hip fracture population in the Canadian province of Quebec (2001-2008) and the potential impact of these changes on healthcare services.
The Quebec hospitalization database was used to identify nontraumatic hip fractures for the purposes of calculating age- and sex-specific rates. Also estimated were time trends for selected frailty-related characteristics and discharge destinations.
A significant decline in fracture rates was evident for all age groups except for those