Find in Library

PURPOSE This study aims to speculate the influence of depression on the physical activity, symptoms of chronic pain and sleep disorders in the elderly with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS The subjects were collected from physical measurements and questionnaires distributed to the elderly in community centers. One hundred four female knee osteoarthritis patients, aged 67-84 were divided into two groups, depressed and not-depressed mood according to the Geriatric depression scale (GDS). Physical activity was evaluated with International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and pain was characterized with the Short Form-McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality of the subjects. RESULTS Of all the participants, 36.5 percent indicated depressed state according to GDS. Among the participants who has depressive mood showed significantly shorter duration of physical activity (309.8 vs. 201.9 min/d, p<.001), higher verbal numerical pain score (6.08 vs. 4.18, VNRS) than not-depressed group. The depressed group suffered from higher sleep latency (1.99 vs. 1.36, p<.01, p<.01), shorter sleep duration (1.88 vs. 1.48, p<.01), higher sleep disturbance (1.61 vs. 1.12, p<.05) with the difference in the Global PSQI (9.12 vs. 7.47, p<.01). CONCLUSIONS Therefore, we may conclude that depressive mood may major role in the duration of their physical activity, pain sensitizing, and sleep quality in the female elders with knee osteoarthritis. It seems that optimal interventions such as treatment, environment and intervention programs are required to improve their mood not only for their health condition but also for their quality of life.