Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Controlled trials, both randomised and non-randomised. Studies published in French or English were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Psychiatric consultation or interview; post-operative re-orientation by nursing personnel; post-operative education of the patient's spouse; pre-operative education; pre-operative psychiatric assessment plus post-operative psychotherapy; pre- and post-operative nursing assessments; pre- and post-operative clinical assessment.
Participants included in the review
Elderly orthopaedic and medical patients; middle-aged cardiac surgery patients.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Incidence of delirium at follow-up. This was assessed mainly in terms of the number of patients developing symptoms of delirium, though the actual symptoms assessed varied between studies.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
One author selected the papers for review by assessment against the inclusion criteria.