骨性關節炎是一老年性、慢性之疾病，病患亦因社會人口結構的改變，老年人口增加，日益主增多，歷經長期的疼病和行動受限，使他們的生活品質受到影響。本研究在暸解住院骨性關節炎病患其生活品質的改變情況，及其影響因素以提供更適切的住院護理及持續性之居家護理。
本研究以慢性骨性關節炎住院病患為母群體，採立意抽樣法選擇研究樣本。研究工具採結構式問卷方式收集資料，共收集有效樣本47人。發現:骨性關節炎病患的生活品質情況中以娛樂最差，家事處理、步行次之;而進食、工作、溝通所受的影響最少。而疼痛程度較輕的個案，其生活品質較好;有宗教信仰者其生活品質較差，是一值得再深入探討的現象。此外在生活品質的各單項上顯示:年齡、宗教信仰、醫療保險、疼痛程度、病程、有人照護、健康情況、經濟負擔、職業等均會造成影響。

Osteoarthritis, a chronic disease that affects the joints of the body, is prevalent among the elderly. Pain and lim-ited movement greatly reduce the satisfaction in life of its victims. In order to provide more appropriate nursing care and subsequent home care to the hospitalized osteoarthritis patients, this study examined the impact of pain and func-tional impairment on the quality of life of osteoarthritis patients.
Forty - seven osteoarthritis patients in a medical center were interviewed. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Amongall of the activities listed in the questionnaire, recreation was the one most affected by osteoarthritis, and eating, working and communication appeared least affected. Pain and religion had the greatest in-fluences on the quality of life of osteoarthritis patient.