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Study cites themes patients focus on when selecting treatment for OA
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Investigators of this study identified key themes, such as the characteristics of a treatment and the time and money investment required, which guide patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis when they decide on a treatment option.
Researchers in The Netherlands conducted both respective and prospective semistuctured in-depth interviews with 24 patients who had hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Investigators transcribed the interviews verbatim and then coded them with a thematic approach. The coding was then compared, discussed and adjusted by two independent researchers. With the thematic analysis, investigators determined key reasons for the patients’ choice of modality to treat OA.
The study participants discussed numerous treatment options which included medication, exercise, physical therapy, injections, surgery, complementary and alternative treatment. Based on the results, there were four themes investigators identified which aided in the choice of OA treatment: treatment characteristics, personal investment regarding time and money, personal characteristics, and support and advice from a patient’s social environment and health care providers.
“The findings of the current study will improve shared decision making by helping health care providers to address the core reasons that guide a patient’s choice,” the researchers wrote. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosures: The study was supported by a grant from the National Psoriasis Foundation and the Arthritis National Research Foundation.
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