The role of depression in the association between physiotherapy frequency and duration and outcomes after hip fracture surgery: secondary analysis of the physiotherapy hip fracture sprint audit

PURPOSE: It is not known whether the association between the frequency and duration of physiotherapy and patient outcomes varies for those with and without depression. This study aims to evaluate whether the associations between the frequency and duration of physiotherapy after hip fracture surgery and discharge home, surviving at 30 days post-admission, and being readmitted 30 days post discharge vary by depression diagnosis. METHODS: Data were from 5005 adults aged 60 and over included in the UK Physiotherapy Hip Fracture Sprint Audit who had undergone surgery for a nonpathological first hip fracture. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for the associations between physiotherapy frequency and duration and outcomes. RESULTS: Physiotherapy frequency and duration were comparable between patients with and without depression (42.1% and 44.6%). The average adjusted odds for a 30-min increase in physiotherapy duration for those with and without depression for discharge home were 1.05 (95% CI 0.85–1.29) vs 1.16 (95% CI 1.05–1.28, interaction p = 0.36), for 30-day survival were 1.26 (95% CI 1.06–1.50) vs 1.11 (95% CI 1.05–1.17, interaction p = 0.45) and for readmission were 0.89 (95% CI 0.81–0.98) vs 0.97 (95% CI 0.93–1.00, interaction p = 0.09). None of the interaction tests reached formal significance, but the readmission models were close (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: Results suggest physiotherapy duration may be negatively associated with readmission in those with depression but not those without depression, while no clear difference in the other outcomes was noted. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41999-023-00808-8.