Health-Related Behaviors Associated With Knee Pain Increase: A Longitudinal Community-Based Cohort Study That
Morgan L Wolff1, Sarah H Nash1, Cora E Lewis2
1Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Johnson County, Iowa City, Iowa.
Objectives:
To understand the impact of lifestyle changes on osteoarthritis outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in a group of older Midwestern adults.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional mailed survey in May of 2022 among participants of the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST) in participants that completed their prior clinic visit. We assessed the perceived changes in health behaviors and barriers/facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a generalized estimating equation to model knee-level pain increase from a previous survey, as a function of demographic variables and changes in behavioral factors.
Results:
We surveyed 502 MOST participants. There were significant differences in perceived health-related behaviors and barriers/facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity associated with knee-level pain increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. After multivariable-adjustment, increased knee-level pain was positively associated with previous frequent knee pain and use of weight control products.
Conclusion:
Changes in perceived health-related behaviors and barriers/facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity, along with previous osteoarthritis disease status, may impact knee pain in older adults. These results may be informative to promote health among older adults with and without osteoarthritis during future times of generalized stress.
