Author(s): Medeiros,Marta Maria das Chagas ; Sousa,Daniela Cabral ; Paiva,José Gerardo Araujo ; Figueiredo,Lanese Medeiros ; Freitas,Thiago Holanda ; Soares,Danielle C. O. ; Côrtes,Cesar Marques Porto ; Filho,João Macêdo Coelho
Date: 2008
Origin: Oasisbr
Subject(s): Knee pain, screening tool, aged, public health.
OBJECTIVES: To translate into Brazilian Portuguese and adapt culturally a knee pain screening tool (KNEST) designed for primary care of senior citizens and test it on a sample of elderly patients in Fortaleza, Brazil.
METHODS: The translation and cultural adaptation followed the method proposed by Guillemin and coworkers. Elderly subjects enrolled in a health program for senior citizens linked to the UFC medical school and Walter Cantídio University Hospital (HUWC) were contacted by phone. Subjects reporting knee pain within the preceding year were offered a rheumatological evaluation at HUWC. During the evaluation were collected clinical and sociodemographic data, questionnaire on arthrosis (WOMAC, Lequesne) and analogic visual scale.
RESULTS: The translated and adapted version of the KNEST was administered to 241 elderly subjects. Most were female (72.2%) and the mean age was 72.3 ± 8.0 years. Knee pain was reported by 48.9% (n = 118), of which 56% was bilateral, 45% was chronic and 48.5% had been previously examined by a physician. Pain killers had been employed by 63% of the subjects. The mean age of patients attending the evaluation was 70.3 years. Of these, 91% presented chronic pain and 50.7% bilateral pain. Clinical diagnosis of osteoarthrosis was established in 97% of cases.
CONCLUSIONS: The translated and adapted version of the KNEST was shown to be easy to use and understand and quick to administer (~ 5 minutes). It adequately evaluated knee pain prevalence, severity, chronicity and impact on available health resources. Knee pain primarily caused by osteoarthrosis was a frequent condition among the elderly in this study.
