The lived experience of frail older adults in postoperative activity following hip replacement: A qualitative study in Hangzhou, China

Background: Hip fracture among older adults is a tremendous universal public health challenge associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in China. However, the lived experiences and perspectives of frail older adults in early postoperative activity following hip replacement surgeries in China are rarely studied. Aims This study aimed to describe frail older adults' experiences after hip replacement to provide recommendations for future intervention. Methods: This was a descriptive qualitative study. Sixteen frail older patients who underwent artificial hip replacement at a local hospital in Hangzhou between January and August 2022 were recruited. Data were collected through participatory unstructured observation and face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the participants and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: We identified four themes: (1) physical discomfort, (2) emotional distress, (3) uncertainty about the effectiveness of early postoperative activity (4) obstacles to early postoperative activity. Discussion ： This study identified physical discomfort caused by early postoperative swelling and frailty as common symptoms experienced by frail older patients during early postoperative activities following hip replacement surgeries. Recognizing frailty as a limitation, these patients prioritize safety and security and may hesitate to participate in activities perceived as difficult or risky. Conclusions: Findings suggest medical staff should focus on enhancing patients' disease awareness, alleviating their concerns, and improving their self-efficacy to promote early activity participation for frail elderly patients following hip replacement. Trial registration number No. 2021KY085