title: QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS SUBMITTED TO TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the quality of life (QL) and social characteristics of patients submitted to total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The Brazilian validated version of the SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire was applied during the pre- and postoperative periods to assess the effect of TKA in QL. A semi-structured social questionnaire was used for the survey of patients' socioeconomic profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some characteristics were observed in the participants' socioeconomic parameters, such as the predominance of females, age above sixty years old, family income up to three minimum salaries, patients' participation in family income, living together with other cohabitants, educational level up to high school; and living in urban periphery housing. Regarding SF-36, there was a statistically significant rise in corresponding values in postoperative assessment when compared with the preoperative assessment in all domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TKA was capable of bringing a significant improvement in quality of life. In terms of social and economic profile of this group of patients submitted to TKA, it was observed that this profile was predominantly female, aged over sixty years, with low educational level, and limited economic resources.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Physician of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Service, Hospital das Clínicas of the UFPE, assistant professor of the Cariri Faculty of Medicine of the Universidade Federal do Ceará, Master's degree student on the Postgraduate Program in Pathology of the CCS - Recife-PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Parente
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Social Assistant at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Postgraduate in Social Policy, Social Rights and Professional Competencies. Master's degree student on the Postgraduate Program in Social Service at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife-PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aurora Marcionila de Assunção
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Social Assistant at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Postgraduate in Family Health Recife-PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberta Xavier Ramos
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Doctorate in Orthopedics and Traumatology from the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Tenured Professor at the Surgery Department of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Coordinator of the Orthopedics Discipline of the UFPE - Recife-PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jairo de Andrade
authors.initials: Jde A
authors.lastname: Lima
keywords: Arthroplasty; Knee; Quality of Life; Replacement; Social Conditions