Hip fracture in older persons. Does self-efficacy-based intervention have a role in rehabilitation?

Over 250,000 patients are hospitalized each year in the United States for treatment of a fractured hip, resulting in considerable medical, social, and economic costs to society. Most hip fractures occur among older persons who have fallen. The consequences of hip fractures due to falls by older persons include loss of confidence and the accompanying deterioration in global functional capacity for independent living. This article reviews the problem of hip fracture in the elderly and suggests that intervention approaches designed to enhance personal self-efficacy through patient education may have an important role to play in rehabilitation after hip fracture.