The economic burden of hip fractures in the geriatric population by mental health illness and substance Use Status: National estimates 2016 to 2020.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the economic burden of hip fracture hospitalizations associated with mental health and substance use (MHSU) disorder.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020. Patients 65 years and older with hip fracture-related ICD-10 diagnosis and discharge codes were selected. Pre-defined by Clinical Classification Software (CCS), we identified 34 MHSU groups. We analyzed MHSU disorders in two ways: first, we looked at patients with at least one MHSU disorder to compare demographic and clinical characteristics; and second, we examined individual MHSU categories separately to assess their prevalence and compare costs. The dependent variable was the hospitalization cost adjusted for 2024 inflation. Multiple regression analysis with a log transformation of costs was used to assess hospitalization costs by individual MHSU categories, adjusting for confounding factors.

RESULTS

Of 274,784 inpatient hip fracture admissions, 35 % had at least one diagnosis related to MHSU. Among the 34 MHSU categories, only five had a prevalence greater than 1 %: depression (15 %), anxiety or fear-related disorders (14 %), alcohol use (3 %), opioid use (3 %), and tobacco use (9 %). Patients with MHSU were younger and had longer hospital length of stay (LOS) than patients with no MHSU (NoMHSU) (median age 80 vs. 84 years, p < 0.001; median LOS 5 days vs. 4 days, p < 0.001). The total estimated cost of hospitalization for the cohort was $30.5 billion during the study period. Patients with MHSU incurred higher mean hospitalization costs compared to NoMHSU ($22,634 vs. $22,000, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographic, regional, and clinical factors, costs were 4 % (p < 0.001) and 6 % higher (p < 0.001) for patients with alcohol-related and opioid-related disorders, respectively, compared to those without these conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The economic burden of hip fractures in older adults is significant and exacerbated by the presence of substance use disorders, particularly alcohol- and opioid-related, underscoring the need for targeted policies and clinical interventions to optimize care and resource allocation for this population.