ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
This article is part of the Research TopicBeyond Standardization in Knee Surgery: Time to Think PersonalizedView all 8 articles
Care Dependency and Postoperative Recovery after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Cross-Sectional Study
Provisionally accepted
HANDE CENGİZ AÇIL1*
ESRA NACAKCIOĞLU2- 1Sakarya University, Sakarya, Türkiye
- 2TC Saglik Bakanligi Yozgat Sehir Hastanesi, Yozgat, Türkiye
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Abstract Background This study aimed to determine the effect of care dependency levels on postoperative recovery in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients who undergo TKA may face difficulties in performing daily living activities after surgery. Care dependency is a critical factor that can negatively impact the recovery process. Therefore, evaluating its influence is important for improving postoperative outcomes. Methods This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 100 patients who underwent TKA between February 1, 2023, and February 1, 2024, and met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Care Dependency Scale (CDS), and the Postoperative Recovery Index (PoRI). The CDS assessed the patients' levels of dependency, while the PoRI evaluated their recovery status. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results The mean age of participants was 63.90±7.87 years; 75% were female, and 79% were married. Among them, 55% were primary school graduates and 49% were unemployed. Right knee surgery was performed in 50% of the cases; 53% had chronic illnesses, and 43% had a prior surgical history. The mean CDS score was 58.43±9.87, and the mean PoRI score was 2.82±0.68. Based on CDS scores, 46% of the patients were classified as "dependent." A significant correlation was found between increased age and greater difficulty in both care dependency and recovery. However, gender did not have a statistically significant effect on recovery. 3 Conclusion The study revealed that higher care dependency levels negatively affect postoperative recovery in TKA patients. Recovery was particularly more challenging for older individuals, those with chronic conditions, lower education levels, and prior surgeries. These findings highlight the need for individualized nursing and care plans, especially for patients with high care dependency.
Keywords: care dependency, Recovery, Total knee arthroplasty, knee replacement, Postoperative therapy
Received: 27 Aug 2025; Accepted: 30 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 CENGİZ AÇIL and NACAKCIOĞLU. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: HANDE CENGİZ AÇIL, hande@sakarya.edu.tr
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