Development of the model for reducing the severity of osteoarthritis in elderly people with moderate osteoarthritis in the community, Nong Chang District, Uthai Thani Province

Abstract

The research and development aimed to 1) study the situation of osteoarthritis among elderly people in the community, 2) develop a model for reducing the severity of osteoarthritis in the community through the cooperation of the health team, and 3) evaluate the results of the model for reducing the severity of osteoarthritis among elderly people with moderate osteoarthritis in the community. The sample groups in each step consisted of Step 1: including 361 elderly people; Step 2: doctors, physical therapists, Thai traditional medicine practitioners, public health academics, professional nurses, elderly people with osteoarthritis, and village health volunteers; Step 3: elderly people with moderate severity of osteoarthritis, divided into experimental and control groups, 30 people each. The instruments used to measure the outcomes of the model were 1) a numerical knee pain scale, 2) the Modified WOMAC assessment scale, and 3) the goniometer angle instrument. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The within-group mean was analyzed using the paired t-test, and the between-group mean was analyzed using the independent t-test. The results revealed that 37.40% of older adults had knee abnormalities, of which 63.70% were classified as moderate severity, 28.15% as early-stage osteoarthritis, and 8.15% as severe. After implementing the developed model, the experimental group demonstrated significantly lower levels of pain and osteoarthritis severity compared to both their baseline and the control group (p<.001). In addition, knee joint range of motion in knee extension was significantly greater than before the intervention and compared to the control group (p < .001). Therefore, health professionals can apply and further develop this model in their practice.