Qualitative study on frailty perception and coping experiences of elderly patients with hip fractures
10.3760/cma.j.cn115682-20240216-00802
- VernacularTitle:老年髋部骨折患者衰弱感知与应对体验的质性研究
- Author:
Yuting HUANG
1
;
Fei LIU
;
Ling XU
;
Sining ZENG
;
Keyu LING
;
Zining GUO
;
Xiaoping ZHU
Author Information
1. 同济大学医学院，上海 200092
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Elderly;
Hip fracture;
Frailty perception;
Frailty coping;
Qualitative research;
Semi-structured interview
- From:
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing
2024;30(35):4790-4796
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To understand the frailty perception and coping experiences of elderly patients with hip fractures from the patients' perspective, providing insights for healthcare professionals on managing frailty.Methods:A purposive sampling method was used to select 12 elderly patients with hip fractures and frailty who were hospitalized at Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University from September to October 2023. A phenomenological approach was adopted for this qualitative study, conducting semi-structured interviews to explore the patients' frailty perceptions and coping experiences. NVivo 11.0 software and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method were used to organize and analyze the interview data.Results:The frailty perceptions of elderly hip fracture patients were categorized into four themes: multidimensional physiological challenges (e.g., aging of the body, nutritional imbalances, pain and sleep disturbances) ; limitations in daily life (e.g., mobility impairments, avoidance of social activities) ; heavy psychological burdens (e.g., uncertainty about the illness, low self-efficacy, feelings of guilt towards the family) ; insufficient social support (e.g., lack of age-friendly environments and limited medical policy coverage). The patients' coping strategies were grouped into two themes: active coping (e.g., self-encouragement, peer support, actively seeking relevant knowledge and guidance) ; passive coping (e.g., neglecting the situation) .Conclusions:Frailty brings multiple negative impacts on the physical, psychological, daily life and social aspects of elderly hip fracture patients; while most patients adopt a positive attitude towards frailty, some exhibit signs of emotional exhaustion and passivity. Medical staff should pay attention to the frailty perceptions of elderly hip fracture patients, identify related symptoms early, provide comprehensive support to alleviate the physical and psychological burden, and encourage patients to face frailty challenges optimistically, adopting proactive measures to slow its progression.
