Pre-Existing Disability and Its Risk of Fragility Hip Fracture in Older Adults

• Main Authors: Jayeun Kim, Soong-Nang Jang, Jae-Young Lim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: disability; hip fracture; gender; severity; comorbidity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1237

<i>Background</i>: Hip fracture is one of the significant public concerns in terms of long-term care in aging society. We aimed to investigate the risk for the incidence of hip fracture focusing on disability among older adults. <i>Methods</i>: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study, focusing on adults aged 65 years or over who were included in the Korean National Health Insurance Service&#8211;National Sample from 2004 to 2013 (<i>N</i> = 90,802). Hazard ratios with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model according to disability adjusted for age, household income, underlying chronic diseases, and comorbidity index. <i>Results</i>: The incidence of hip fracture was higher among older adults with brain disability (6.3%) and mental disability (7.5%) than among those with other types of disability, as observed during the follow-up period. Risk of hip fracture was higher among those who were mildly to severely disabled (hazard ratio for severe disability = 1.59; 95% CI, 1.33&#8211;1.89; mild = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.49&#8211;1.88) compared to those who were not disabled. Older men with mental disabilities experienced an incidence of hip fracture that was almost five times higher (hazard ratio, 4.98; 95% CI, 1.86&#8211;13.31) versus those that were not disabled. <i>Conclusions</i>: Older adults with mental disabilities and brain disability should be closely monitored and assessed for risk of hip fracture.