The effects of self-management intervention among middle-age adults with knee osteoarthritis.
AIM
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a self-management intervention for middle-aged adults with knee osteoarthritis.


BACKGROUND
Knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of lower limb disability in middle-aged and older adults. Use of self-management interventions that apply the self-regulation theory have not been reported for patients with knee osteoarthritis.


DESIGN
A quasi-experimental design was applied.


METHODS
Knee osteoarthritis patients were recruited from two medical centres in northern Taiwan by convenience sampling between July 2013-May 2014. We developed a self-management intervention programme for knee osteoarthritis; participants began an individualized programme 4 weeks after recruitment. Effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Health Care Questionnaire and the Short-Form Health Survey. A generalized estimating equation compared assessment scores for 105 participants after the intervention (10 and 18 weeks) with scores at 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Knee symptoms and physical function scores significantly improved and quality-of-life scores significantly increased while body mass index, unplanned medical consultations and doses of pain medication significantly decreased at 10 and 18 weeks compared with 4 weeks. After adjusting for the effect of time- and significant-related factors, knee symptoms and physical function, body mass index and quality of life significantly improved at 10 and 18 weeks compared with 4 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
The self-management intervention based on self-regulation theory, improved participants' symptoms and functions of knee osteoarthritis, overall health and quality of life. Offering self-management interventions in clinical practice can be beneficial for patients with knee osteoarthritis.
['Kao|Mei-Hua|MH|', 'Tsai|Yun-Fang|YF|', 'Chang|Ting-Kuo|TK|', 'Wang|Jong-Shyan|JS|', 'Chen|Chie-Pein|CP|', 'Chang|Yue-Cune|YC|']
D000328:Adult D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee D010146:Pain D011788:Quality of Life D000073278:Self-Management D013624:Taiwan
self-management osteoarthritis symptom quality of life care need nursing