PREVALENCE OF OA KNEE PAIN AMONG HOUSEHOLD FEMALES AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE IN SUKKUR

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain, functional limitation, and reduced quality of life. Women engaged in household work may experience knee symptoms during middle adulthood. This study aimed to determine the proportion of self-reported knee pain among women engaged in household work in Sukkur and examine its association with quality of life. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 384 women aged 35-57 years in Sukkur. Participants were recruited through non-probability convenience sampling from households and the Physical Therapy Outpatient Department of Hidayat Hospital. Quality of life was assessed using a modified SF-36, and pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) within a structured questionnaire. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. No clinical examination or radiographic assessment was documented to confirm knee osteoarthritis. Results: The mean age of the participants was 45.4 ± 6.5 years. Of 384 participants, 151 (39.3%) reported study-defined knee pain. Pain-intensity data were available for 150 participants, of whom 100 (66.7%) reported mild pain, 35 (23.3%) moderate pain, and 15 (10.0%) severe pain. Participants reporting knee pain had significantly lower quality-of-life scores than those without reported knee pain (25.21 ± 6.75 vs 30.11 ± 7.73). The mean difference was -4.90 (95% CI, -6.41 to -3.39), t(382) = -6.37, p < 0.001, with a standardized mean difference of 0.67. Quality-of-life scores did not differ significantly across reported pain-intensity categories (F(2,146) = 2.55, p = 0.082). Conclusions: In this convenience sample, 39.3% of participants reported knee pain, and reported knee pain was associated with lower quality-of-life scores. Because the sample was selected using non-probability convenience sampling and included outpatient participants, this proportion should not be interpreted as a population prevalence estimate for all women in Sukkur. In addition, because no clinical or radiographic diagnostic criteria were documented, the findings refer to self-reported knee pain rather than confirmed knee osteoarthritis.