Impact of Knee Pain and Osteoarthritis on Quality of Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Physical, Social, and Psychological Factors

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disease that affects the quality of life (QoL) not only through pain and physical disability but also by influencing social and psychological aspects of life. This study aims to compare patients diagnosed with knee OA to those with knee pain and other comorbidities to evaluate the specific impact of OA on QoL. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 patients presenting with knee pain or knee OA were assessed using standardized QoL instruments, including the World Health Organization QoL-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: The influence of various factors, such as patient characteristics, demographics, medical history, medication use, OA diagnosis, and related symptoms, was analyzed using regression models. Significant correlations were observed between QoL and variables including knee injuries (WOMAC score: 54.662 vs. 38.657, P < 0.001), depression (PHQ-9: 9.894 vs. 6.608, P < 0.001), elevated BMI (WOMAC: F = 5.305, P = 0.023), and occasional crepitus (WOMAC score: 53.144 vs. 40.175, P = 0.003). No statistically significant differences were found between patients with OA and those with other diagnoses in any of the outcome measures. Conclusions: The findings suggest that QoL is influenced more by general factors such as psychological well-being (depression), pain (knee injuries), and overall health (BMI) rather than the specific diagnosis of OA. This underscores the importance of addressing these broader health attributes to improve the QoL in patients with knee-related issues.