Postoperative Psychological Distress in Patients Having Total Hip or Knee Replacements

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe postoperative anxiety and depression in patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement, describe and identify preexisting factors known during hospitalization and postdischarge, and detect associations with symptoms of anxiety and depression at home at least 4 weeks posthospital discharge. METHODS: Patients from 2 sites in Iceland answered self-administered questionnaires at the hospital and at home. The questionnaires included questions about anxiety, depression, pain, family and social situations, and hospital and illness experience. FINDINGS: Patients exhibited few symptoms of anxiety and depression. Significant associations between symptoms of anxiety and depression at the hospital with anxiety and depression at home, as well as between general postoperative symptoms and quality of sleep, were found. Postoperative anxiety was predicted by depression at the time of admission to the hospital. Postoperative depression was predicted by depression at the hospital and presence of pain at home. Most patients found that the operation was as successful as expected; 29.6% stated that they had recovered very well and 33.6% wanted more information about the time it takes to recover.