Prevalence of Self-disclosed Knee Trouble and Use of Treatments Among Elderly Individuals

Complementary Therapies, Knee Osteoarthritis, Pain, Survey, Family Life

Knee Osteoarthritis, pain, Complementary Therapies, Survey, questionnaire

Although knee pain is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults, little is known about how people in general handle their pain. We will conduct a survey to explore how knee pain affects people's lives and which treatments or self-management strategies they have chosen (or are being offered), and how these interact concerning pain reduction and maintenance of function.

Although knee pain is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults and frequently leads to consultation in primary care, little is known about how people in general manage their knee pain. Treatments of knee osteoarthritis include a variety of non-pharmaceutical, medical, and surgical interventions with highly individual and inconsistent results and with the possible exception of a longer lasting weight reduction, none of the non-surgical treatments have been able to demonstrate long-lasting effect on pain or disability. It is well recognised that patient participation in handling of disease creates better compliance and satisfaction with pharmacological treatment. Another option for taking active part in self-management is the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). despite their popularity and effect, there is currently no overview of the actual extent of CAMs used for knee pain and disability at a population level, and most CAMs remain to be studied scientifically for efficacy. The incidence of knee OA shows a steep increase at age above 60 years. Furthermore, after this age an increasing prevalence of disablement to knee trouble is encountered. To prevent this development, measures must be sought to alter the course of knee OA. By asking people about how knee pain affects their life, which treatments or self-management strategies they have chosen (or are being offered), and how these interact for the reduction of pain and maintenance of function, new knowledge will be gained about the preferences and perceived effectiveness of treatments at large. The information gained will enable the prioritising of research on interventions to be tested and will align this with the primary concerns and interests of the population. This will subsequently lead to better guidance of patients by the health care providers, and will aid decision makers in choosing feasible health care policies and strategies.

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