Psychological distress and quality of life after orthopedic trauma: an observational study.

Abstract

In a prospective study of 215 patients, 1 in 5 met the threshold for psychological distress. Only ongoing litigation and psychological symptoms were significantly associated with both SF-36 Physical Component and Mental Component summary scores. Future research is necessary to determine whether orthopedic trauma patients would benefit from early screening and intervention to address comorbid psychopathology.