Knee osteoarthritis among adults in Al Madam city, Sharjah: unrevealing the prevalence and predisposing factors: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder of the knee, and its progression, influenced by multifactorial predisposing factors such as age, BMI, and physical activity, often results in significant limitations in day-to-day activities and deterioration of quality of life. Although the prevalence and predisposing factors of OA are well-documented globally, this study is distinct in its focus on the semi-urban population of Al Madam City, Sharjah. The unique socio-cultural and occupational characteristics of this community provide an opportunity to identify localized risk factors and their impact on OA prevalence, offering insights that can inform tailored healthcare strategies.

Objective: The present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of OA and its associated predisposing factors among the population of Al Madam, Sharjah.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of knee OA in the population of Al Madam City, Sharjah. This study was conducted in twelve villages. 1300 participants were recruited through convenience sampling using a screening questionnaire survey to identify individuals with knee OA. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire was used, with an additional questionnaire consisting of questions related to its predisposing factors.

Results: The prevalence of knee OA was 12.9% in Al-Madam City, Sharjah. Predisposing factors, such as age (χ²:314.900), sex (χ²:13.581), nationality (χ²:76.657), BMI (χ²:86.174), physical activity levels (χ²:11.099), previous knee injury (χ²:657.715), level of education (χ²:259.906), and occupation with the sedentary job (χ²:193.911), were found to be associated with the prevalence of knee OA.

Conclusions: This study highlights that the prevalence of knee OA in Al Madam City is 12.9%, with significant associations observed between knee OA and factors such as age, sex, BMI, physical activity levels, education, and previous knee trauma. The findings underline the impact of the city's unique socio-cultural and occupational characteristics, such as high representation of labor-intensive jobs and limited leisure activity options, on the development of knee OA.