Assessment of quality of life using the EQ-5D-3L instrument for hospitalized patients with femoral fracture in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Quality of life has become a key outcome in assessing the effectiveness of treatments and interventions in health. METHODS: Accordingly, this research study aimed to measure quality of life using the EQ-5D-3L instrument for patients from the Jamil Haddad National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics (Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia Jamil Haddad – INTO) with femoral fractures, hospitalized between 11/2015 and 10/2016. RESULTS: A total of 165 orthopedic trauma patients with femoral fractures, aged 18 years or older, who were hospitalized and operated upon in the INTO were assessed. The assessment instruments were applied at admission and in the first and second follow-up visits to the outpatient clinic. Most study subjects were women and older than 60 years. Proximal femoral fracture was the most commonly found fracture. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) assessments over the study period showed an increasing gain in self-assessed quality of life. Similarly, the EQ-5D-3L showed significant improvements in quality of life assessed in the five dimensions of the instrument: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. CONCLUSION: This type of assessment may help in decision-making and cost-utility assessments related to orthopedic trauma.