OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to examine the socio-demographic data of patients operated in the private and the state care sector with total hip arthroplasty in different dissections, moreover to compare their quality of life before and after surgery.

METHODS: Patients with hip prosthesis surgery were selected by simple convenience sampling technique at the Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Centre of the University of Pécs and at a private clinic in Pécs, Hungary. Patients completed a complex questionnaire before the surgery and 6 weeks later between April 2019 and March 2020. We evaluated the socio-demographic data, circumstances of diseases and surgical operations. Two international questionnaires were also completed (SF-36, Oxford Hip Score).

RESULTS: The research involved 164 persons, 75 persons (30 males, 45 females, mean age:64.57) in the state care (S), 89 persons (43 males, 46 females, mean age:63.16) as patients of the private sector (P). Proportion of villagers was significantly higher in the state sector (p=0.014), while mainly metropolitans were found in the private care. The proportion of primary (p<0.001) and secondary education (p=0.042) was significantly higher for state care patients, while on the private side the proportion of those with higher education (p<0.001). In state care the proportion of pensioners (p=0.005), in the private sector the proportion of intellectual workers and contractors were significantly higher (p<0.001). Despite of having different surgical procedures, both group’s quality of life has shown significant improvement according to questionnaires (OHS: S:16.58 to 29.29, P:22.70 to 35.69 points, p<0.001; SF-36 physical score: S:26.19 to 45.31, P:37.82 to 66.50 points, p<0.001). Mental health scores also increased, but this was only significant for private patients (68.20 to 81.61 points, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the two sectors significantly differ in socio-demographic characteristics, but both have shown significant improvements in quality of life 6 weeks after surgery.