Effects of Regional Variations and Occupation on Hand Osteoarthritis: Insights from the Research on Osteoarthritis/Osteoporosis Against Disability Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of radiographic hand osteoarthritis (HOA) in older Japanese individuals in three distinct regions with unique geographic and occupational characteristics and explore the regional variations and factors, including occupational workload, that affect HOA.

Methods: We analysed the radiographic images and data of 1642 participants aged ≥60 years (mean, 75.6 years).