OBJECTIVES: To measure quality of life and health-care utilization related to osteoarthritis and to understand the relationship among different parameters. METHODS: 245 patients with osteoarthrosis (176 female) of mean age 64 years were recruited within a musculoskeletal study in both primary care and rheumatology outpatient settings in Hungary in 1999 and 2000. Patients filled in both the generic EQ-5D quality-of-life questionnaire and the disease-specific WOMAC questionnaire and reported resource utilization. Mean quality-of-life and health-care-utilization values were reported and correlation coefficients between different measurements were analyzed. RESULTS: Average EQ-5D index, EQ-5Dvas, WOMAC (pain(A), stiffness (B), physical function (C)) scores were 0.42, 49.18, 9.28, 3.87, 36.32 respectively. Average annual numbers of physiotherapy and spa treatment occasions were 33.32 and 9.88, respectively. Average number of GP and specialist visits were 31.4 and 8.54 annually. Patients spent a mean of nine days in hospital and they spent 12.5 days in bed due to osteoarthritis. Active patients spent a mean 6.7 days on sick leave. Statistically significant correlation was observed between the following: EQ-5D index and EQ-5Dvas; EQ-5Dindex and WOMAC C; EQ-5Dvas and WOMAC C; days in bed and EQ-5Dindex; days in bed and EQ-5Dvas; days in bed and WOMAC C. Corresponding correlation coefficients were: 0.35; -0.59; -0.33; -0.35; -0.17; 0.24; respectively (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that osteoarthritis leads to substantial loss in quality of life, important direct medical costs, and substantial productivity loss among active patients.