RISK FACTORS, MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS AMONG WOMEN AGED 40+ IN KANNUR DISTRICT OF KERALA
Main Article Content
Keywords
Osteoarthritis, women, Kerala, risk factors, therapeutic outcomes, community-health and population-therapeutics.
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest cause of chronic disability among older women, particularly in low-resource settings. In India, the burden is disproportionately high among postmenopausal women, with Kerala showing significant prevalence due to demographic aging. Aim of the Study: To identify key risk factors, assess current management practices, and evaluate therapeutic outcomes of OA among women above 40 years and above in Kannur district of Kerala. Materials: A cross-sectional study based on community was conducted among 196 women aged ≥40 years, selected using multistage random sampling across urban and rural areas of Kannur District. Data were collected through structured interviews, clinical assessments using the WOMAC index, and review of treatment records. The factors considered as risk for OA were age, BMI, menopausal status, physical activity, occupation, co-morbidities, and dietary habits were analysed. Management practices were assessed across pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and surgical interventions. Outcomes were measured as pain reduction, functional improvement, and quality of life.
Results: The prevalence of symptomatic OA was 97/196 (49.48%). The commonest risk factors considered were obesity (AOR=2.8, 95% CI: 1.9–4.5), sedentary lifestyle (AOR=2.0), and postmenopausal status (AOR=1.6). Only 79/196 (40.30%) of women received guideline-based management. Non-pharmacological interventions like physiotherapy and weight reduction showed better long-term functional outcomes (p<0.01) compared to analgesic-only management. Women undergoing combined therapy of lifestyle change and pharmacological support reported significant improvement in pain and mobility scores after a follow-up analysis.
Conclusion: Osteoarthritis in older women of Kannur is influenced by changeable risk factors like obesity and inactivity. Integrated, guideline-based management offers better therapeutic outcomes. Strengthening community-level interventions and targeted awareness can improve quality of life and reduce OA-related disability in this vulnerable population.
Results: The prevalence of symptomatic OA was 97/196 (49.48%). The commonest risk factors considered were obesity (AOR=2.8, 95% CI: 1.9–4.5), sedentary lifestyle (AOR=2.0), and postmenopausal status (AOR=1.6). Only 79/196 (40.30%) of women received guideline-based management. Non-pharmacological interventions like physiotherapy and weight reduction showed better long-term functional outcomes (p<0.01) compared to analgesic-only management. Women undergoing combined therapy of lifestyle change and pharmacological support reported significant improvement in pain and mobility scores after a follow-up analysis.
Conclusion: Osteoarthritis in older women of Kannur is influenced by changeable risk factors like obesity and inactivity. Integrated, guideline-based management offers better therapeutic outcomes. Strengthening community-level interventions and targeted awareness can improve quality of life and reduce OA-related disability in this vulnerable population.
References
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15. Fernandes L, Hagen KB, Bijlsma JWJ, Andreassen O, Christensen P, Conaghan PG, et al. EULAR recommendations for the non-pharmacological core management of hip and knee osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(7):1125–1135.
2. Sharma MK, Swami HM, Bhatia V. An epidemiological study of correlates of osteoarthritis in women aged 40 years and above in a rural area of North India. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32(2):122-3.
3. WHO Expert Committee. Physical Status: The Use and Interpretation of Anthropometry. WHO Technical Report Series No. 854. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1995.
4. WHO/IASO/IOTF. The Asia-Pacific Perspective: Redefining Obesity and Its Treatment. Sydney: Health Communications Australia; 2000.
5. Altman R, Asch E, Bloch D, Bole G, Borenstein D, Brandt K, et al. Development of criteria for the classification and reporting of osteoarthritis: Classification of osteoarthritis of the knee. Arthritis Rheum. 1986;29(8):1039–49.
6. Indian Council of Medical Research. India: Health of the Nation’s States - The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative. New Delhi: ICMR, PHFI, IHME; 2017.
7. International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and ICF. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), India, 2019-21: Kerala. Mumbai: IIPS; 2021.
8. Sharma MK, Swami HM, Bhatia V. An epidemiological study of correlates of osteoarthritis in women aged 40 years and above in a rural area of North India. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32(2):122-3.
9. Mishra S, Singh A, Pandey CM. Osteoarthritis in India: Challenges and current practices. Int J Orthop Sci. 2020;6(3):534–8.
10. World Health Organization. Ageing and Health in the South-East Asia Region: Situation Analysis. New Delhi: WHO-SEARO; 2019.
11. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE): Operational Guidelines. New Delhi: MoHFW, Government of India; 2011.
12. Srivastava R, Maurya A, Jina R. Postmenopausal Osteoarthritis and Associated Risk Factors: A Clinical Study. J Midlife Health. 2022;13(3):181–186.
13. WHO Scientific Group. The burden of musculoskeletal conditions at the start of the new millennium. WHO Technical Report Series 919. Geneva: WHO; 2003.
14. Richette P, Corvol M, Bardin T. Estrogens, cartilage, and osteoarthritis. Joint Bone Spine. 2003;70(4):257–262.
15. Fernandes L, Hagen KB, Bijlsma JWJ, Andreassen O, Christensen P, Conaghan PG, et al. EULAR recommendations for the non-pharmacological core management of hip and knee osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(7):1125–1135.
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Published
Apr 22, 2025
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Dr Adnan Siddique, Dr. Dhanoop Dhananjayan, & Dr. Avinash Tp. (2025). RISK FACTORS, MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS AMONG WOMEN AGED 40+ IN KANNUR DISTRICT OF KERALA. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 32(3), 754-759. https://doi.org/10.53555/tpdn3e29
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Author Biographies
Dr Adnan Siddique
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedics, Kannur Medical College, Anjarakandy, Kannur, Kerala.
Dr. Dhanoop Dhananjayan
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedics, Kannur Medical College, Anjarakandy, Kannur, Kerala.
Dr. Avinash Tp
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedics, Kannur Medical College, Anjarakandy, Kannur, Kerala.
How to Cite
Dr Adnan Siddique, Dr. Dhanoop Dhananjayan, & Dr. Avinash Tp. (2025). RISK FACTORS, MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS AMONG WOMEN AGED 40+ IN KANNUR DISTRICT OF KERALA. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 32(3), 754-759. https://doi.org/10.53555/tpdn3e29