CHRONIC KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: RELATIONSHIPS OF BODY MASS INDEX AND SELECTED PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AMONG NIGERIANS

Odole A.¹, Ekediegwu E.², Ekechukwu N.³

¹University of Ibadan/University College Hospital, Physiotherapy Department, Ibadan, Nigeria, ²University of Ibadan, Physiotherapy Department, Ibadan, Nigeria, ³University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Physiotherapy Department, Enugu, Nigeria

Background: Knee Osteoarthritis is the most commonly affected joint among Africans. There is preliminary evidence that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with high kinesiophobia. Little is known about the relationships of psychosocial factors such as pain catastrophizing (PC), self-efficacy (SE), including kinesiophobia (K) and BMI among Nigerians with knee OA.

Purpose: To determine the relationships of BMI and selected psychosocial factors among patients with knee OA in Nigeria.

Methods: Seventy-seven (15 males, 62 females) consecutively sampled patients diagnosed of knee OA from three selected public hospitals in Enugu, South-East Nigeria, participated in this cross-sectional survey. Brief Fear of Movement Scale for Osteoarthritis (BFMSO), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale-8 item (ASES-8 item) were used to assess K, PC, and SE respectively. Also, stadiometer and weighing scale were used to determine height and weight respectively. Data were analysed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient at p=0.05 and multiple linear regression.

Results: Participants were aged 58.04±12.46years. Female participants had higher BMI (31.51±6.82) than their male counterpart (26.86±3.03). The mean scores of BMI, K, PC and SE of all the participants were 30.60±6.51, 14.05±3.61, 16.43±9.99 and 7.53±1.87 respectively. Significant positive correlation was found between BMI and PC(r=0.35) whereas significant negative correlation existed between BMI and SE(r=-0.30). Significant predictive markers of BMI were PC(β=0.21) and SE(β=-0.89).

Conclusion(s): Body mass index, PC and SE correlate significantly in individuals with knee OA. Pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy can be used to predict BMI in such individuals.

Implications: The results call for the routine integration of psychologically-informed physiotherapy practice in the management of knee OA.

Funding acknowledgements: None

Topic: Musculoskeletal: lower limb

Ethics approval: University of Ibadan/ University College Hospital Health Research Ethics Committee (UI/EC/15/0059)

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