Self-regulation in older Thai women with self-reported knee osteoarthritis: A path analysis

Abstract

This study aimed at testing factors influencing coping behavior and health status among older women with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 274 participants completed questionnaires. Model testing revealed that self-efficacy was the most powerful predictor of coping behavior. Illness representation had a significant direct and indirect effect on health status and was a better predictor of health status than were the other variables. Understanding the complex relationships among study variables should help to tailor future interventions to better address the symptoms of osteoarthritis and to promote optimal health in older Thai women who report knee osteoarthritis.

KEYWORDS:

• Knee osteoarthritis
• older Thai women
• self-regulation

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Stephen Pinder, international program manager of the Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, who is an experienced medical proofreader and a native speaker of English.

This study was presented at the 20th IAGG World Congress, June 23–27, 2013, Seoul, Korea.