Background: There exists variation over geographic areas in the use of total hip arthroplasty. This variation is not explained by the variation in the density per unit area of surgeons. The objective was to compare the severity of hip symptoms between a population-based sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries and a hospital-based sample of patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery.
Material/methods: Population-based survey data on 113 community residents were compared to data from an independent sample of 157 hospital-based patients who underwent total hip replacement surgery, all of whom were 65 years and older. Severity of symptoms in both groups was rated using the Hip Rating Questionnaire (HRQ).
Results: The average population sample HRQ score was 63+/-9.0; overall arthritis impact 12+/-5, pain 14+/-6, walking 18+/-4, function 19+/-4. The average patient sample HRQ score was 56+/-14; overall arthritis impact 10+/-7, pain 11+/-4, walking 15+/-4, function 20+/-3.
Conclusions: Community-dwelling individuals report symptoms as severe as patients who have undergone total hip arthroplasty. Further research is necessary to identify the reasons for the low incidence of treatment for those living in the community.