Patients' Perceptions of Assessment and Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis in Primary Care

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Direct access to physiotherapist for assessment, diagnosis and treatment.: Patients with knee osteoarthritis will be interviewed about their experience of being assessed, diagnosed and treated by a physiotherapist first in primary care.

Study summary

Background: To diagnose osteoarthritis (OA), Swedish guidelines recommend an overall assessment including patient history, symptoms, and clinical findings. However, diagnostic radiography is not recommended when assessing OA. Assessing and giving core treatments of patients with knee OA (KOA) is included in physiotherapists' area of expertise. Former studies show that there is no statistically significant difference in health-related quality of life for patients with KOA assessed by physiotherapists compared to being assessed by a physician in primary care. There is also research showing that costs can be reduced with a physiotherapist as first assessor. A task-shifting care model with physiotherapists as the primary assessor, can result in a reduced waiting time to recommended treatment for patients with KOA, as well as increase the accessibility to physicians in primary care for patients with more severe health conditions.

Previous studies have explored expectations in patients with KOA and how they have experienced the health care when the first assessment and treatment has been performed by a physician. It has been described how referred patients with KOA have experienced physiotherapy treatment, and the physiotherapists' impact on exercise adherence. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies describing how patients with KOA have experienced health care, when being referred directly to a physiotherapist for assessment and treatment.

The main purpose is to explore expectations, perceptions, and experiences among patients with KOA in primary care who have been assessed and treated by a physiotherapist. The second purpose is to explore the possible meaning of the first meeting when it comes to future self-care and experienced health status.

Methods: Estimated 12-15 patients with KOA will be recruited from rehabilitation centers in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, from October 2022 to February 2023. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted and will be analyzed with qualitative content analysis.

Expected results: This study is expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of what expectations patients with KOA have before they seek health care, how they experience physiotherapists as primary assessor in KOA and possible influences of the physiotherapy assessment and treatment on patients' perceived health after the rehabilitation period. This knowledge could be valuable when implementing new care models for patients with KOA.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Expectations before meeting with health care — From 1 to 12 months
  What expectations did patients with KOA have before meeting with health care? One of the question areas to be answered during a semi-structured interview.
• Perceptions when meeting with health care — From 1 to 12 months
  What perceptions did patients with KOA have when meeting with the health care? One of the question areas to be answered during a semi-structured interview.
• The meaning of the meetings with health care — From 1 to 12 months
  What possible influences did meetings with health care have on future self-care and health status? One of the question areas to be answered during a semi-structured interview.

Trial sites (2)

More Vastra Gotaland Region trials in Sweden

Other trials for the same condition