Pain Severity and Quality of Life of People with Knee Osteoarthritis in Selected Health Facilities in Anambra State, Nigeria

Ihegihu EYN, Ikem MO, Afolabi TO, Imoru JO, Ituen OA and onathan BN

Published on: 2024-09-07

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between pain severity and quality of life (QoL) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in selected healthcare facilities in Anambra State.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study involved 85 participants diagnosed with KOA. Participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling method. Pain severity was measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, while QoL was assessed using the Short Form-36 questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the participants' socio-demographic profiles, and Spearman Rank Order Correlation was utilized to determine the relationship between pain severity and QoL. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to assess differences in pain severity and QoL across sexes and marital status.

Results: Participants experienced moderate pain severity with a mean score of 6.29 ± 1.79. The overall QoL score was relatively fair, with a mean total score of 65.22 ± 18.55. A significant inverse correlation was observed between pain severity and QoL (rho = -0.671, p < 0.001), indicating that higher pain severity was associated with lower QoL. No significant correlations were found between pain severity and QoL with participants’ age, body mass index, educational attainment, or physical activity levels. Additionally, no significant differences in pain severity and QoL were observed across different sexes or marital statuses.

Discussion: This study’s findings underscore the impact of pain on the quality of life in patients with KOA. The strong inverse relationship between pain severity and QoL suggests that effective pain management should be a priority in treating KOA to enhance patients' overall well-being. Given the lack of significant differences in pain severity and QoL across demographic factors, individualized treatment approaches that focus on pain alleviation may be more beneficial.