Analysis of depression, activity of daily of living and balance among elderly with knee osteoarthritis in Malang, Indonesia

Objective: To investigate the relationship between depression and activity daily living (ADL) towards balance among knee osteoarthritis patients in Malang. Methodology: This cross-sectional study with purposive sampling technique was conducted in primary healthcare centers in Malang and included 166 participants. Patients aged above 60 years, diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1-2, had symptoms of depression/mild depression (based on medical diagnosis), did not have severe visual disturbances; did not have neurological problems and did not consume any antidepressants were included in the study. We used Geriatric Depression Scale, Barthel Index, and Single Leg Standing test. All the data were analyzed using the Independent T-test and Pearson Correlation. Results: Depression negatively correlated with balance ability (p<0.05; r1=-0.25). Ability to do daily activities was positively correlated with balance ability (p<0.05; r = 0.55). Conclusion: It is urged to focus on maintaining and promoting knee osteoarthritis patients’ psychological health and recommend it to be included in the policy of geriatric health management. This will minimize the occurrence of potentially harmful secondary effects and gain an optimal quality of life for the elderly.