Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2008 , Vol 11, Issue 4
EVALUATION OF LIFE SATISFACTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN 60 YEARS AND OVER PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS AFTER PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION
1Ankara Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği ANKARA
2Başkent Üniversitesi, Medikososyal Sağlık Merkezi ANKARA
Introduction: To evaluate the effects of physical therapy and rehabilitation on life satisfaction and quality of life in patients older than 60 years with osteoarthritis.

Materials and Methods: Forty hospitalized patients older than 60 years with osteoarthritis were included in the study. Life Satisfaction Index (LSI) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) were scored on the first and last days of treatment. Pain evaluation, global assessment of patients and physicians were calculated with 10 centimeter Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Results: Twenty patients (50%) with vertebral osteoarthrosis and 20 patients (50%) with knee osteoarthrosis were underwent physical therapy and rehabilitation. There were statistically significant decreases in VAS (p=0.000), patients' (p=0.033), doctors' global assessment (p=0.000) after the treatment. Furthermore statistically significant increase in life satisfaction index scores (p=0.027) and statistically significant decrease in NHP total score (p=0.001) were determined.

Conclusion: We determined prominent improvement in generic quality of life scales (NHP, LSI) and global assessments in hospitalized patients older than 60 years with osteoarthritis. Keywords : Osteoarthritis, Nottingham Health Profile, Life Satisfaction Index, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation