Comparison of health‐related outcomes for arthritis, chronic joint symptoms, and sporadic joint symptoms: A population‐based study

Abstract

Objective. To examine predictors and health outcomes for individuals reporting arthritis, chronic joint symptoms (CJS), or sporadic joint symptoms (SJS) compared to those without arthritis or joint symptoms. Methods. Data from the 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey (n ‫؍‬ 63,134, ages >15 years) were used for the analyses. Respondents not reporting arthritis as a long-term chronic health condition diagnosed by a health professional were asked about joint symptoms, excluding the back and neck, over the past 12 months and whether these symptoms were present on most days in the past month (CJS) or not (SJS). Log Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for reporting arthritis, CJS, and SJS, and for reporting health outcomes (physical activity, pain that limits activity, activity limitation, poor/fair self-rated health, and poor/fair self-rated mental health) and health service use (visits to primary care physicians, specialists, physiotherapists, and chiropractors, and overnight hospital stays). Results. Arthritis was reported by 16.0% of the population, CJS by 10.1%, and SJS by 11.6%. Individuals with arthritis were older than those with CJS or SJS. Women reported arthritis and CJS more often. After adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities, PRs of all outcomes were higher for the arthritis and CJS groups than the SJS group, with no significant differences in PRs for the arthritis and CJS groups, except for pain that limits activity. Conclusion. CJS were reported by 10% of the adult population. Similarities in outcomes to arthritis suggest that CJS have a substantial impact in the population, and that arthritis management advice is likely needed for this group.

Neuropathic pain in end-stage hip and knee osteoarthritis: differential associations with patient-reported pain at rest and pain on activity

“…This difference was not apparent in men. Further, consistent with other findings 41,42 , women reported more concurrent symptomatic joints than men, and we found that a higher symptomatic joint count was significantly associated with greater neuropathic pain scores in women only. Our group has previously reported that a greater symptomatic joint count in women with knee and hip OA, but not men, was associated with greater systemic inflammation as quantified by serum levels of C-reactive protein 43 .…”

Painful Choices: A Qualitative Exploration of Facilitators and Barriers to Active Lifestyles Among Adults With Osteoarthritis

“…In addition to these treatment strategies, regular participation in physical activity and exercise has been found to be more cost-effective and efficient for attenuating many of the debilitating symptoms of osteoarthritis, such as: muscle weakening, joint pain and stiffness, depressive symptoms, and reductions in self-efficacy (Covic, Adamson, Spencer, & Howe, 2003; Keefe et al, 2008; Neuberger et al, 1997; Penninx et al, 2001; Powers & Howley, 2007; Suomi & Collier, 2003; Zhang et al, 2010). Despite these benefits, those who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis are significantly more inactive compared with the general population aged 30 and above (Canizares & Badley, 2012; Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). Considering the estimated health care burdens of both inactivity and osteoarthritis, an expanding field of research has begun to explore factors that hinder or encourage physical activity and exercise within this population (Covic et al, 2003; Fisken, Keogh, Waters, & Hing, 2015; Fontaine & Haaz, 2006; Martin, Schoster, Shreffler, Meier, & Callahan, 2007; Petursdottir, Arnadottir, & Halldorsdottir, 2010; Shih, Hootman, Kruger, & Helmick, 2006; Wang, Helmick, Macera, Zhang, & Pratt, 2001; Wilcox et al, 2006).…”

Risk Factor Profiles for Individuals With Diagnosed OA and With Symptoms Indicative of OA: Findings From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

“…The prevalence estimates of joint symptoms without a diagnosis that we report are consistent with those reported by others. In a population‐based US sample aged 45 years or older, Feinglass et al reported a “possible arthritis” (ie, having arthritis‐like joint symptoms but without diagnosed arthritis) prevalence of 22% , as was found in a Canadian‐based study . Busija et al reported a joint symptom (pain, aching, stiffness, or swelling in or around a joint excluding the back or neck) prevalence of 24% from a population‐based Australian sample .…”

“…Although the same factors were also associated with an increased likelihood of reporting single joint symptoms, the magnitudes of associations were significantly lower compared with those for diagnosed OA. Joint symptoms are associated with adverse consequences that include disability, poor self-rated physical and mental health, and increased health service use, not unlike the case for OA specifically (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). Previous research has found that individuals with either diagnosed arthritis or joint symptoms generally are more likely to report difficulty with ADLs (11,13).…”