PREVALENCE OF RISK FACTORS FOR KNEE JOINT OSTEOARTHRITIS (RESULTS OF A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY)

Aim. To investigate the risk factors of knee joint osteoarthritis and to propose improvements in preventive technologies for this pathology. Materials and methods. Questionnaires of 105 patients (46 men, 59 women) of a private specialized orthopaedic clinic with knee joint osteoarthritis were selected as research materials. Methods: sociological, medical and statistical; graphic. Results. It was found that the average body mass index in the sample exceeded the norm and was 27.1±4.8 kg/cm3, in particular, in men it was 28.2±4.2 kg/cm3, in women it was 26.2±5.1 kg/cm3; 34 (32.4%) respondents performed labour functions mostly while standing; 61 (58.1%) respondents had a history of trauma to the affected knee. The food behaviour of respondents was irrational, as they preferred several undesirable food products in their diet at once: 48 (45.7%) respondents preferred fatty meat products, 46 (43.8%) – sweets, 33 (31.4 %) – fatty dairy products, 32 (30.5%) – fried products, 31 (29.5%) – smoked products, 23 (21.9%) – butter, 22 (21.0%) – hot spices, 15 (14.3%) respondents consumed excessive salt. All patients had concomitant diseases, in particular, 27 (25.7%) individuals had diseases of the circulatory system, 14 (13.3%) – diseases of the endocrine system, 20 (19.0%) – other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, in addition to knee joint osteoarthritis (OA), 38 (36.2%) patients had diseases of the digestive organs, 6 (5.7%) patients had other diseases. Active primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of knee joint OA is proposed, taking into account the complex of risk factors at the individual level and the presence of concomitant diseases in the patients, with the involvement of public health specialists, medical workers of primary and secondary medical care. Conclusions. The results of the conducted research confirmed the data of the world scientific literature on the risk factors of OA of the knee joint. It is proposed to carry out active primary, secondary, tertiary prevention, taking into account the complex of managed individual risk factors and concomitant diseases of the patient at all levels of medical care and in the community with the involvement of a public health specialists, medical workers of primary and secondary medical care.