Association between Socio-Demographic Factors and Quality of Life for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis in Baaquba City

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition causing joint dysfunction, discomfort, and limited range of motion; it may be affected by poor quality of life.

Aim of the study: The study aims to investigate the association between socio-demographic factors and the quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis in Baquba City.

Methods: A cross-sectional study at Baquba Teaching Hospital in Iraq analyzed 374 adult patients with knee
osteoarthritis, 18 or older, both sexes, and verbal consent. The researchers used a self-structured questionnaire and Dhafar M. et al.'s socioeconomic scale to assess patients' socio-demographic characteristics. Data collection involved direct interviews, and statistical significance was determined using IBM SPSS-29 software.

Results: The study found that the majority of participants, particularly women, were married and lived in urban areas, with 53.2% having a family history of knee OA. A study shows that many patients with knee osteoarthritis have poor quality of life, with only 0.5% rating it as excellent. The study reveals significant differences in quality of life scores across age groups, with the 50-59 group reporting fair quality of life (40.0%) and the 60- 69 group (34.0%). The study found significant disparities in quality of life scores across different occupations, with housewives and retired individuals experiencing higher rates, while employees, married couples, and illiterate individuals reported fair quality of life.

Conclusion: The study reveals that knee osteoarthritis patients are mostly overweight or obese, with retired individuals and housewives being the largest risk group. They often lack literacy and experience a low quality of life.