Adherence to Home-Based Rehabilitation in Older Adults with Diabetes after Hip Fracture

Background Adherence to rehabilitation is beneficial to patients with hip fracture. However, the relationships between different levels of adherence and postoperative recovery among older adults after hip fracture have not been addressed thoroughly in the literature. Objectives The aims of this study were to explore the trajectories of adherence to home-based rehabilitation during the 12-month period after hospital discharge and to examine the effects of adhering to prescribed home-based rehabilitation on postoperative recovery of physical functions. Methods We employed a secondary data analysis, and 88 hip-fractured older adults with diabetes were recruited. The Chinese Barthel Index was used to measure daily physical functions, a goniometer was used to measure range of motion, and the MicroFET2 dynamometer was used to measure muscle power. Adherence was measured as the rate of adherence to the suggested frequency of home-based rehabilitation activities. Results Adherence to home-based rehabilitation decreased over time. The high-Adherence group was more likely to recover prefracture physical functions than was the low-Adherence group, and the high-Adherence group had better self-care abilities, greater range of motion for ankle extension, and higher muscular strength on both adduction and abduction than did the low-Adherence group. Discussion The results of our study suggest that patients adhere to more than 50% of prescribed rehabilitation. Future studies should continue to explore interventions to enhance rehabilitation adherence after hospital discharge.