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Understanding the management of osteoarthritis in Australia: a qualitative study of GPs and orthopaedic surgeons in Tasmania, Australia

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posted on 2023-05-21, 05:21 authored by Laura SuttonLaura Sutton, Kim JoseKim Jose, Betzold, A, Emily HansenEmily Hansen, Laura LaslettLaura Laslett, Jennifer Makin, Tania WinzenbergTania Winzenberg, Balogun, S, Dawn AitkenDawn Aitken

Objective

Using a qualitative design this study aimed to 1) explore the attitudes towards and understanding of osteoarthritis (OA) held by Tasmanian general practitioners (GPs) and orthopaedic surgeons, 2) gain a deeper understanding of conservative and surgical management and 3) identify key barriers and challenges.

Design

Purposive sampling was used to recruit 17 ​GPs and 10 surgeons from Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and thematically analysed to document understanding of OA, management and treatment decision making.

Results

GPs and surgeons had a shared understanding of the cause and management of OA which aligned well with evidence-based best practice. Most GPs acknowledged that severity of disease on an X-Ray does not correlate well with symptoms, although some GPs reported always using imaging to support their diagnosis. Conservative management was highly supported by all interviewees, focussing on exercise and/or physiotherapy. Key treatment barriers included managing poor patient understanding of OA, unrealistic expectations for treatment, lack of patient motivation and scepticism towards exercise, and cost and accessibility of conservative treatment options. Surgery was considered a suitable option when conservative management options had been exhausted.

Conclusion

This study uniquely interviewed GPs and surgeons from the same population, capturing two crucial areas of OA management. Some key barriers to treatment were identified and options for improving treatment include creating opportunities for increased patient education about OA, enhanced accessibility to OA conservative management programs along with improved reimbursement models supporting conservative management as first-line OA treatment.

History

Publication title

Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open

Issue

4

Article number

100218

Number

100218

Pagination

1-6

ISSN

2665-9131

Department/School

Tasmanian School of Medicine

Publisher

W B Saunders Co Ltd

Place of publication

32 Jamestown Rd, London, England, Nw1 7By

Rights statement

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Treatment of human diseases and conditions

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