Self-management of osteoarthritis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rheumatology
• Public Health

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is the primary cause of activity limitation in older adults.
• Non-pharmacological approaches are commonly used for OA self-management.
• Understanding diverse OA self-management strategies is crucial for effective patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe self-management methods used by individuals aged 60+ with OA.
• To assess the frequency and variation in the use of these methods.
• To explore the reliability and stability of OA self-management scales.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire assessed 10 self-management methods in 61 participants (aged 60+).
• Participants were assessed twice, 8 months apart.
• Factor analysis identified three self-management scales: medication taking, typical management, and worse-day passive management.

Main Results:

• Participants reported using an average of four self-management activities on a typical day.
• Significantly more activities were used on days with worse arthritis symptoms.
• Developed self-management scales showed adequate internal consistency and stability.

Conclusions:

• Older adults with OA employ a range of self-management techniques.
• The number and type of methods used vary based on symptom severity.
• Further development of brief OA self-management measures is warranted due to individual variations.