Public Awareness and Attitudes Toward Lifestyle Modifications for Controlling Osteoarthritis and Their Relationship to Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background Osteoarthritis (OA), common in older adults, leads to joint degradation and inflammation, with risk factors including age, obesity, and genetics. OA strongly indicates cardiovascular disease (CVD), with shared risk factors such as lack of exercise and muscle weakness. This study explores the awareness of OA and its relationship to CVD risk factors. Methodology This cross-sectional study in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, involved an online self-administered questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to randomly selected adults, with ages ranging from 18 to 65 years. Informed consent was taken from all participants. Data was cleaned in Excel and analyzed using SPSS version 29 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Our study assessed the awareness of 381 participants about the relationship between OA and CVD. Most participants were female 312 (81.9%). Overall, 250 (65.6%) participants were aged 18-27, and 362 (95.0%) were Saudi nationals. Further, 210 (55.1%) participants had a bachelor's degree, and 223 (58.5%) were students. Healthcare exposure varied, with 207 (54.3%) having no background, and 157 (41.2%) being healthcare students. Notably, 152 (39.9%) knew someone diagnosed with OA, of whom 55 (14.4%) also had CVD. Significant predictors of awareness included studying in healthcare (Exp(B) = 3.325, p = 0.001), receiving OA information (Exp(B) = 2.222, p = 0.007), sources such as school/university (Exp(B) = 7.851, p = 0.000), and personal experience (Exp(B) = 4.768, p = 0.034). Conclusions This study showed a notable gap in awareness about the link between OA and CVD in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. While those with healthcare exposure showed good knowledge, many lacked an understanding of their relationship. Targeted education, particularly for younger and non-healthcare-educated groups, is crucial for improving awareness and promoting effective lifestyle modifications to manage both OA and CVD risks.