The objective of this study was to describe the content of questionnaires used in the assessment of the individual burden of osteoarthritis.
A systematic search of computerized databases was conducted to identify self-report measures of osteoarthritis burden. The content of identified measures was assessed against the eight-domain Personal Burden of Osteoarthritis (PBO) model, which covers physical distress, fatigue, physical limitations, psychosocial distress, physical deconditioning, financial hardship, sleep disturbances, and lost productivity. The PBO was derived from extensive consultations with osteoarthritis patients and clinicians.
A review of 5,703 publications identified 158 multi-item self-report measures of the individual burden of osteoarthritis. Content analysis showed that the dimensions of physical limitations, physical distress, and psychosocial distress were well represented by the identified questionnaires. The physical deconditioning and financial hardship dimensions were the least represented in the identified measures. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale gave the best coverage of PBO elements, with items matching seven of the eight PBO domains.
Despite the large number of questionnaires identified, many aspects of the individual burden of osteoarthritis are not well represented by currently available measures. This may result in systematic gaps in how experiences of people with osteoarthritis are represented in research studies.