A QUASI EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ISOMETRIC EXERCISES ON QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG THE INMATES OF ELDERLY PERSONS WITH JOINT PAIN AT SELECTED HOSPITAL, DEHRADUN, UTTARAKHAND

Abstract

Problem Statement: A Quasi Experimental study to assess the effectiveness of isometric exercises on quality of life among the inmates of elderly persons with joint pain at selected hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand Objectives: To assess the level of joint pain among elderly persons in experimental group and control group before and after intervention. To compare the effectiveness of isometric exercises on level of pain among osteoarthritis patients in experimental group and control group before and after intervention. To associate the quality of life among elderly persons with joint pain in experimental group and control group with their selected demographic variables. Hypothesis: H1 : There will be a significant difference between the quality of life of experimental and control group after intervention and no significant difference before intervention. H2 : There will be a significant difference in the quality of life of experimental group before and after intervention and no significant difference of quality of life in control group after and before intervention. H3 : There will be a significant difference between the pain score of experimental and controlled group after intervention and no significant difference of pain before intervention. H4 : There will be a significant difference in the pain score of experimental group before and after intervention and no significant difference of pain score in control group after and before intervention. Methodology: The nature of the study was quasi experimental. This was conducted in selected hospitals at Dehradun. The conceptual framework used for this study is based on Roys Adaptation Model. The demographic variables for the study were age, gender, qualification, occupation, diet pattern, Body Mass Index, duration of illness, duration of treatment. The research design used for this study i.e., one group pre-test and post-test design. Non probability purposive sampling technique was used to select for 30 experimental group and 30 control group samples for the study. A numerical pain intensity rating scale and quality of life scale was used as a tool for data collection. The questionnaire consists of three sections i.e. Section A had demographic items: Section B had numerical pain intensity rating scale and Section C had quality of life scale regarding joint pain. The content validity was done by expert. The feasibility was ensured through a pilot study (n=6). The reliability of pilot study is r=0.82 for Numerical Pain Intensity Rating Scale and r = 0.87 for quality of life scale. The data was collected to assess the pre-test and post-test effectiveness of isometric exercises to reduce the joint pain among elderly persons. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted through descriptive and inferential statistics. Major findings of the study were: Highest 53% were in the age group of 60 – 70 years in experimental group, whereas in control group majority of elderly persons 57% were in the age group of 71 - 80 years. With respect to gender, majority of elderly persons were females in the experimental group and control group. Based on the qualification, majority of elderly persons 47% were belong to secondary education in experimental group, whereas in control group majority of elderly persons 53% were secondary education. With respect to occupation, the highest percentage of elderly persons 43% were belong to others in experimental group and in control group the majority of elderly persons 50% were in non professional.With regard to diet pattern the majority of elderly persons 43% were belong mixed in the experimental group, whereas in control group majority of elderly persons 37% were non vegetarian. With regard to body Mass Index (BMI), majority of the elderly persons 37% were belong to overweight, whereas in control group, majority of elderly persons 60% were belongs to Overweight category.With regard to duration of illness, majority of elderly persons in experimental group and control group were more than 1 year to 2 years of illness.With regard to duration of treatment, majority i.e., 70% were taking treatment from 6months to 1year in the experimental group and in control group 60% were taking treatment from 6months to 1year.The reliability score was r = 0.82 for Numerical Pain Intensity Rating Scale and r = 0.87 for quality of life scale. That indicated acceptable degree of reliability. Hence the revealing the tool is feasible for administration for the main study. The tool was found to be reliable and feasible.The obtained level of joint pain of elderly persons in experimental group and control group out of 30. Experimental group majority i.e., 80% of them moderate pain. In control group majority i.e., 47% of them moderate pain.The finding shows that pre-test level of pain in experimental group were having moderate pain and the post-test level of pain had decreased in the experimental group whereas in control group were having moderate pain, whereas the post-test level of pain had no significant decrease in the control group.The paired t test value to compare with the pre – test and post – test on level of pain among elderly persons in the experimental group, it was found that the mean pre – test of the numerical pain scale was 5.5 with standard deviation of 1.11 and the post – test mean 2.5 with standard deviation of 1.1 and in the calculated t value was 10.40 at 29 degrees of freedom where more than the tabulated t value was 2.05 and were found to be significant at 0.05 level of significance. Hence, the research hypothesis (H3) was accepted and null hypothesis (H0) was rejected.The paired t test value to compare with the pre – test and post – test on level of pain among elderly persons in the control group, it was found that the mean pre – test of the numerical pain scale was 5 with standard deviation of 2.04 and the post – test mean 5.2 with standard deviation of 2.19 and in the calculated t value was -0.36 at 29 degrees of freedom where less than the tabulated t value was 2.05 and were found to be significant at 0.05 level of significance. Hence, the research hypothesis (H4) was accepted and null hypothesis (H0) was rejected.The association between the pre test quality of life in experimental group and control group with the selected demographic variables like age, gender, qualification, occupation, diet pattern, body mass index, duration of illness, duration of treatment.While analyzing the statistical non significance at (P<0.05) level it shows that there was a no significant association between the pre-test quality of life in experimental group and control group with all the selected demographic variables of elderly persons. Hence, the research hypothesis (H1) was accepted and null hypothesis (H0) was rejected. Conclusion: On the basis of study findings the investigator concluded that the effectiveness of Isometric exercises among elderly persons was effective in reduction of joint pain. Therefore the investigator felt that the importance of isometric exercise for the elderly persons to reduce the pain and improved the quality of life.