Disability and Management Related to Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis in Geriatric Population

Abstract

Background: Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability among older adults, characterized by degenerative changes in joint cartilage and bone that impair function and quality of life. Despite a growing burden in aging populations, disparities persist in both disease experience and the quality of OA management delivered in community and clinical settings. Assessing disability and patient-reported quality of care is essential to improving management strategies and promoting functional independence in the geriatric population. Objective: To determine the level of disability and the quality of osteoarthritis care among geriatric patients with symptomatic knee OA and to examine gender-based differences in these outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 elderly participants (≥60 years) with symptomatic knee OA recruited from hospitals and clinics in Muridke and Gujranwala, Pakistan, in 2023. Disability was measured using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and care quality was assessed with the Osteoarthritis Quality Indicator Questionnaire (OA-QI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, with independent t-tests comparing mean scores between genders and Pearson correlation testing associations between OA-QI and KOOS domains. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of 385 participants, 277 (71.9%) were female and 108 (28.1%) male. Females reported higher OA-QI scores (45.71 ± 3.33 vs. 44.93 ± 3.15, p = 0.036) and significantly higher KOOS Symptom scores (39.07 ± 11.19 vs. 35.91 ± 11.38, p = 0.014). Overall KOOS scores correlated positively with OA-QI (r = 0.43, p < 0.001), indicating that higher quality of care was associated with reduced disability. The odds of symptomatic OA were 2.56 times higher in females than in males (95% CI: 1.87–3.51). Conclusion: Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis is more prevalent among older females, who nonetheless report better care quality and slightly improved functional outcomes. Enhanced adherence to evidence-based OA management correlates with better pain control, functional capacity, and quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of patient-centered, multidisciplinary approaches in geriatric knee OA care.