Relationship between physical activity and health‐related utility among knee osteoarthritis patients

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the relationship between physical activity and health-related utility for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and implications for designing cost-effective interventions. METHODS: We used generalized estimating equation regression analysis to estimate partial association of accelerometer-measured physical activity levels with health-related utility after controlling for demographics, health status, knee OA severity level, pain, and functioning. RESULTS: Moving from the lowest to the middle tertile of physical activity level was associated with a 0.071 (P < 0.01) increase in health-related utility after controlling for demographics and a 0.036 (P < 0.05) increase in utility after controlling for demographics, health status, knee OA severity level, weight, pain, and functional impairments. CONCLUSION: Intervention programs that move individuals out of the lowest tertile of physical activity have the potential to be cost effective.