Predicting acute anxiety and depression following hip fracture

The role of injury-related beliefs and hopelessness on depression and anxiety in the acute phase following hip fracture was investigated in 103 hip fracture patients. Participants were assessed at two time points: as inpatients within one week of their surgery, and then 3-weeks later as outpatients. Abramson et al.'s (1989) theory of hopelessness-related depression was investigated as a possible explanatory model to account for depression following hip fracture. Results indicated that hopelessness mediated the relationship between beliefs regarding personal control and depression at the second assessment. Anxiety at follow-up was predicted by control beliefs whereas physical mobility, acute stress and pain made no significant contribution. This study is the first to provide tentative evidence that post-injury beliefs and hopelessness influence levels of depression and anxiety in hip fracture patients in the acute phase of their injury, and indicates that further study in this area is warranted.