Predictors of depressive symptoms following mandibular fracture repair.

Purpose: This study sought to identify sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical factors associated with increased postsurgery depressive symptoms among inner-city minority patients recovering from a mandibular fracture.

Patients And Methods: Surveys of African American and Hispanic adults receiving treatment at King/Drew Medical Center for a mandible fracture (n=98) are used to identify factors associated with increased postsurgery depressive symptoms. Using correlation coefficients and t tests, bivariate relationships between patient characteristics and depressive symptoms at first follow-up were examined. Multiple regression analysis was used, predicting depressive symptoms at 1 month postadmission by entering covariates that were found to be significant at the bivariate level.

Results: Consistent with the etiology of maxillofacial trauma, the majority of study participants were male (88%), unmarried (92%), unemployed (57%), and experienced some type of interpersonal violence resulting in their broken jaw (77%). Patient characteristics significantly associated with depressive symptoms at first follow-up included age (r=0.26, P= .011), symptoms of post-traumatic stress (r=0.31, P= .003), prior dental problems (r=0.24, P= .022), current pain (r=0.38, P<0.001), and oral health problems during healing (GOHAI) (r= 0.34, P= .001). Two of the 5 significant covariates (pain and GOHAI) remained significant at the multivariate level (adjusted R(2)=0.33).

Conclusion: Findings from this study show that depressive symptoms increase immediately after oral surgery for jaw fracture. This increase is associated with pain and quality of life during recovery.