Development and Effects of an Online Pain Self-management Program for Knee Osteoarthritis

This study aimed to develop an online pain self-management program (OPaSeMP) and evaluate its effects on home-dwelling patients with knee osteoarthritis.

This study was designed with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest.

The program was implemented from October 21, 2024, to December 2, 2024. Participants from two senior welfare centers in D city participated in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 27.0. Hypotheses were tested using the independent t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test. OPaSeMP was implemented over a 6-week period for the experimental group, with weekly themes tailored to pain management. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory (1986), the OPaSeMP incorporates personal, behavioral, and environmental factors.

There were significant differences in the severity of knee pain within a week (U = 101.50, p = .004), Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score: symptoms (t = 2.35, p = .024), pain (t = 2.31, p = .026), function in daily living (U = 61.50, p < .001), function in sport and recreation (U = 307.00, p = .003), lower extremity muscle strength (t = 2.19, p = .035), and quality of life (t = 2.72, p = .010) between the two groups.

Based on these findings, the OPaSeMP was validated as an effective intervention for pain management in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Future replication studies should be conducted to standardize the OPaSeMP and facilitate its implementation in various clinical settings.