Prevalence of primary knee osteoarthritis in the urban and rural population in India

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of pain and disability, representing a significant burden for the individual and for society. The knee is one of the most prevalent among all joint sites affected by OA. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevalence of primary knee OA in the urban and rural population in India. Methods: The study was a community-based cross-sectional study. The target population was from 5 metropolis (big cities), 5 small cities near the metropolis, 5 towns, and 25 villages from blocks of these towns, i.e., 5 sample groups were covered. We got a minimum sample size (n) = 4680 which was further divided into five sites equally (936 from each site). This was rounded to a sample of 1000 from each site. Data were collected by structured questionnaires, interviews, and observation of clinical and radiological findings. OA was graded using the Kellegren and Lawrence Scale.Results: The overall prevalence of primary knee OA in big cities was 33.2%, 19.3% in small cities, 18.3% in towns, and 29.2% in villages. In the current study, it was seen that 32.7% of the population in the big city had a sedentary lifestyle as compared to 28.7% in villages and 18.1% in towns. About 44.5% of the population in the village had physically demanding work as compared to cities and towns.Conclusion: The prevalence of symptomatic primary OA knee in urban areas is much higher than reported from rural regions. To guide the distribution of health-care resources and preventive strategies in future, our findings will be useful.