Relation of Quality of Life, Activities and Participation with Contracture Categories, and Contracture Sites in Elderly Residents With Joint Contractures in Long-Term Care Facilities

Abstract Background: Joint contractures and degenerative osteoarthritis are the most common joint diseases in the elderly, can lead to limited mobility in the elderly with diseases, can exacerbate symptoms, such as pain, stiffness and disability, and can interfere with social participation and quality of life, affecting mental health. However, relevant studies on this topic are very limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of demographic characteristics and joint contracture categories and sites with the quality of life, activity limitations, and participation restrictions of elderly residents in long-term care facilities. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study. Elderly individuals with joint contractures who were residents in long-term care facilities were recruited. The World Health Organization (WHO) Quality of Life and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 were used to survey the participants. Correlations, multiple linear regressions, and multiple analyses of variance, with joint contractures as the response variable, were used in the statistical analysis. Results: The final statistical analysis included 232 participants. The explanatory power of contracture sites on activities and participation had a moderate strength of association (η 2 = .113). Compared with elderly residents with joint contractures and osteoarthritis in isolated upper limbs, elderly residents with joint contractures and osteoarthritis in both the upper and lower limbs had significantly worse activity and participation limitations. There were no significant differences in activity and participation between elderly residents with joint contractures affecting isolated upper limbs and elderly residents with joint contractures affecting isolated lower limbs ( F 1,226 = 2.604 and F 1,226 =.674, n.s.). Osteoarthritis had the greatest impact on activity limitations and participation restrictions of elderly residents with joint contractures affecting both upper and lower limbs ( F 1,226 = 6.251, p = .014). Conclusions: Elderly residents in long-term care facilities who are minorities and have non-mainstream religious beliefs, history of stroke and osteoarthritis are at high risk of developing activity limitations and participation restrictions. Moreover, compared with other contractile sites, regardless of osteoarthritis, elderly residents with joint contractures affecting both upper and lower limbs had the most substantial activity limitations and participation restrictions. Trial registration: This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Registration number and date: ChiCTR2000039889