PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS AND TREATMENT PREFERENCES OF THE PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS WHO APPLY TO HASKOY DISTRICT OUTPATIENT CLINIC

Introduction: In this study, the geriatric patients of low socioeconomic level with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who applied to Haskoy District Outpatient Clinic were studied. Along with their practice of the recommended non-pharmacologic treatments provided by the treatment guideline (Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI)) is evaluated Materials and Method: The study included 60 patients who had a diagnosis of chronic knee osteoarthritis. The subjects were questioned with respect to education, income level, comorbidrties, disease:related education, exercise, changes in the lifestyle, use of medicaments, physical therapy, spa therapy, and the use of orthosis. Patients were subjected to Western Ontario Mac Master (WOMAC), Notthingam Health Profile (NHP), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Framingam physical activity (FPA) level assessments. Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.38 +/- 7.05. Of all patients, 46.7% were illiterate and 51.7% lived on the minimum wage. Among the patients exercise rate was 16.6%, weight loss was 21.7% and orthosis use was 6.7%, respectively. WOMAC pain (mean +/- sd). 2.44 +/- 0.83, NHP energy: 53.68 +/- 35.76, physical mobility: 50.95 +/- 19.02, BDI: 14.90 +/- 10:11 (mild depressive symptoms), FPA level was low. There was a statistically significant relationship between age and FPA (p = 0.022). Conclusion: The quality of life is being negatively affected by pain and disability of patients; low socioeconomic level restrains the implementation of the treatment recommended in OARSI guideline.