Culturally sensitive and environment-friendly outcome measures in knee and hip osteoarthritis

Abstract

Outcome measures often reflect the culture and environment for which they were originally developed. This study was designed to review research studies on outcome measures that were developed for use in knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) with cultural considerations at time of development. A systematic review of evidence on culturally sensitive and environment-friendly outcome measures in knee and hip OA was conducted. Literature review of published peer-reviewed empirical research was undertaken. Various databases including Google Scholar, PEDro and PubMed were accessed to search for relevant empirical articles. Search terms were outcome measures, knee osteoarthritis, hip osteoarthritis, culture, and disease-specific. Only articles in English were retrieved. No other search limits were set.  Methodologic quality was independently assessed by two reviewers. A self-developed validated checklist was used to review relevant articles. Sixteen free full text articles were identified for inclusion in the review. All of them have evidence of one or more psychometric properties proven. Eight outcome measures were developed and cross-culturally adapted into other languages. Only two outcome measures (Ibadan Knee Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Measure and Japanese Knee Outcome Measure) were identified to be originally developed for a given population and translated into other indigenous languages with evidence of psychometric properties proven. Outcome measures should be developed for specific environments and cultures. Such measures should be translated into other languages for wide utility with psychometric evidence proven. Physiotherapists are encouraged to develop new outcome measures with considerations for culture of the population and cross-culturally adapt existing ones into indigenous languages.

Keywords: Outcome Measures, Knee Osteoarthritis, Hip Osteoarthritis, Disease-specific, Culture, Psychometrics