Effect of an education programme for patients with osteoarthritis in primary care - a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease, considered to be one of the major public health problems. Research suggests that patient education is feasible and valuable for achieving improvements in quality of life, in function, well-being and improved coping. Since 1994, Primary Health Care in Malmö has used a patient education programme directed towards OA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of this education programme for patients with OA in primary health care in terms of self-efficacy, function and self-perceived health.MethodThe study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which the EuroQol-5D and Arthritis self-efficacy scale were used to measure self-perceived health and self-efficacy and function was measured with Grip Ability Test for the upper extremity and five different functional tests for the lower extremity.ResultsWe found differences between the intervention group and the control group, comparing the results at baseline and after 6 months in EuroQol-5D (p < 0.001) and in standing one leg eyes closed (p = 0.02) in favour of the intervention group. No other differences between the groups were found.ConclusionThis study has shown that patient education for patients with osteoarthritis is feasible in a primary health care setting and can improve self-perceived health as well as function in some degree, but not self-efficacy. Further research to investigate the effect of exercise performance on function, as well as self-efficacy is warranted.Trial registrationThe trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration number: NCT00979914

Defining the Content of an Opportunistic Osteoarthritis Consultation With Primary Health Care Professionals: A Delphi Consensus Study

“…Previous studies of multidisciplinary approaches to managing OA in primary care have investigated trial interventions rather than consultation delivery (22)(23)(24)(25). In a study to identify GP preferences for improving primary care management of OA, approaches such as patient selfmanagement with opportunistic multidisciplinary consultations were considered important and could bring OA in line with the management of other chronic conditions (26).…”

Garantía de oportunidad, artrosis y autorreporte de salud en personas con artrosis en una comuna de la Región Metropolitana

“…Sin embargo, se evidencia asociación entre referir haber sido informados sobre su artrosis y autorreporte de salud agrupado en dos bloques: uno insufi ciente (muy mal, mal, menos que regular) y otro al menos sufi ciente (regular, más que regular y bien), lo que confi rma lo seña-lado por diversas publicaciones 15,16 . Sería interesante observar, después de aplicar un programa de educación, los efectos sobre su funcionalidad o calidad de vida.…”

“…La educación de los pacientes en relación a artrosis, realizada en atención primaria, parece mejorar la autopercepción de salud y su capacidad funcional en algún grado 15 . Entregando benefi cios adicionales a su tratamiento con antiinfl amatorios no esteroidales, mejora la percepción sobre el dolor y la funcionalidad 16 .…”

Knee health promotion option for knee osteoarthritis: A preliminary report of a concept of multidisciplinary management

“…Although there seems to be a consensus regarding the value of education and self-management for knee OA [17][18][19], there are still discrepancies between patients' and practitioners' views of knee OA and its management. According to a recent qualitative study [20], providing adapted and formalized information to patients, adopting greater global assessment and more therapeutic approaches, and dealing more accurately with patients' paradoxical representations of therapy are key ways to improve the patient-physician relationship and the efficacy of treatment strategies.…”