# Rate and Predictors of Patient Satisfaction After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country

## TL;DR

This study found that most patients are satisfied after joint replacement surgery, but comorbidities and being female are linked to lower satisfaction.

## Contribution

The study identifies predictors of patient satisfaction after joint arthroplasty in a low-to-middle-income country setting.

## Key findings

- Patient satisfaction after TJA averaged 86.6 out of 100.
- Higher comorbidity scores correlated with lower satisfaction.
- Male patients reported higher-than-expected improvement more often than females.

## Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the rate of patient satisfaction after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) using a validated satisfaction measure.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted, including all patients who underwent primary TJA between December 2021 and February 2023. The age of the study population was found to range from 23 to 86 years. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a validated tool comprising four questions and a quality of life (QoL) question.

Results

A total of 197 patients were included, with a mean age of 60.9 ± 12.7 years. Total knee replacement (TKR) was performed in 124 patients (62.9%), and total hip replacement (THR) in 73 patients (37.1%). The mean patient satisfaction score was 86.6 ± 14.4 out of a maximum of 100. A significant negative correlation was observed between the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the overall satisfaction score (p-value = 0.029). The majority of the patients (52.3%, n = 103) answered that their QoL had greatly improved, and a similar level of improvement was noted in elderly vs. adult patients (p-value = 0.17). A significantly higher proportion of male patients reported improvement more than they ever expected compared to female patients, the majority of whom reported their QoL was greatly improved (p-value = 0.025).

Conclusion

Total joint arthroplasty has been shown to achieve good patient satisfaction and an improvement in QoL. However, an increased comorbidity index and female gender were identified as factors for reduced satisfaction. Hence, it is recommended to consider these factors and counsel patients accordingly based on local patient data.