A 6-Week Web-Based osteoarthritis treatment program : Observational quasi-experimental study
(2017) In Journal of Medical Internet Research 19(12).- Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of disability, with a burden of disease estimated to increase over time. Joint Academy, a Web-based treatment for individuals with clinically verified knee or hip OA, was developed to increase access to and facilitate implementation of evidence-based nonsurgical OA treatment in accordance with international guidelines. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate joint pain, physical function, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over time of users of the Joint Academy program. Methods: We enrolled 350 patients who were recruited online and completed the initial health journal in the 6-week program. We asked patients to complete an eHealth journal and... (More)
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of disability, with a burden of disease estimated to increase over time. Joint Academy, a Web-based treatment for individuals with clinically verified knee or hip OA, was developed to increase access to and facilitate implementation of evidence-based nonsurgical OA treatment in accordance with international guidelines. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate joint pain, physical function, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over time of users of the Joint Academy program. Methods: We enrolled 350 patients who were recruited online and completed the initial health journal in the 6-week program. We asked patients to complete an eHealth journal and e-questionnaires, including pain level assessed by a numerical rating scale, as well as a physical function evaluation using the 30-second chair-stand test. In addition, we assessed HRQoL using the 3-level version of the EQ-5D. We also asked participants whether they experienced difficulty walking and were afraid of physical activity due to their OA and their desire for surgery. We collected descriptive data and compared pre-versus postintervention data. As a reference group, we included results retrieved from the Swedish well-structured face-to-face self-supportive OA management program Better Management of Patients With Osteoarthritis (BOA). Results: Of the study cohort (n=350 patients; 239 women, mean age 62 years, mean body mass index 27 kg/m2), 71.4% (n=250) completed the program and were included in the study. We used the questionnaires to secure a clinical diagnosis of OA and to establish baseline study values. After 6 weeks of treatment, the change in mean numerical rating scale was larger than the minimal clinical difference (5.4 vs 4.1; P<.001), while physical function increased (from 10.88 to 13.14; P<.001). The percentage of participants having walking difficulties decreased from 81.7% (196/240) to 62.1% (149/240; P<.001), those afraid of being physically active decreased from 22.1% (53/240) to 6.7% (16/240; P<.001), and 22.0% (55/250) reported that they had reduced the amount of OA-related medication. After 6 weeks, 24% (13/54) of those desiring surgery at the start of the program were no longer interested. In addition, the comparison between Joint Academy and the BOA program showed similar levels of pain at 3 months, but suggested greater reduction with the use of Joint Academy due to a higher level of pain at baseline. Conclusions: The reported data suggest that participation in Joint Academy is associated with a clinically relevant decrease in pain and an increase in physical function and HRQoL, as well as a decreasing fear of physical activity. This innovative Web-based OA treatment is scalable, is population specific, and can reach a large number of individuals with impaired joints who have Internet access.
(Less)
- author
- Nero, Håkan LU ; Dahlberg, Jakob and Dahlberg, Leif E. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2017
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Digital Treatment, Ehealth, Osteoarthritis, Pain, Physical Function, Telemedicine
- in
- Journal of Medical Internet Research
- volume
- 19
- issue
- 12
- article number
- e422
- publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:29254906
- scopus:85038924436
- ISSN
- 1438-8871
- DOI
- 10.2196/jmir.9255
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b69e1a1e-a5de-4be3-bfd6-e27825b6a6a3
- date added to LUP
- 2018-01-22 16:36:15
- date last changed
- 2025-01-08 04:04:47
@article{b69e1a1e-a5de-4be3-bfd6-e27825b6a6a3,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of disability, with a burden of disease estimated to increase over time. Joint Academy, a Web-based treatment for individuals with clinically verified knee or hip OA, was developed to increase access to and facilitate implementation of evidence-based nonsurgical OA treatment in accordance with international guidelines. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate joint pain, physical function, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over time of users of the Joint Academy program. Methods: We enrolled 350 patients who were recruited online and completed the initial health journal in the 6-week program. We asked patients to complete an eHealth journal and e-questionnaires, including pain level assessed by a numerical rating scale, as well as a physical function evaluation using the 30-second chair-stand test. In addition, we assessed HRQoL using the 3-level version of the EQ-5D. We also asked participants whether they experienced difficulty walking and were afraid of physical activity due to their OA and their desire for surgery. We collected descriptive data and compared pre-versus postintervention data. As a reference group, we included results retrieved from the Swedish well-structured face-to-face self-supportive OA management program Better Management of Patients With Osteoarthritis (BOA). Results: Of the study cohort (n=350 patients; 239 women, mean age 62 years, mean body mass index 27 kg/m2), 71.4% (n=250) completed the program and were included in the study. We used the questionnaires to secure a clinical diagnosis of OA and to establish baseline study values. After 6 weeks of treatment, the change in mean numerical rating scale was larger than the minimal clinical difference (5.4 vs 4.1; P<.001), while physical function increased (from 10.88 to 13.14; P<.001). The percentage of participants having walking difficulties decreased from 81.7% (196/240) to 62.1% (149/240; P<.001), those afraid of being physically active decreased from 22.1% (53/240) to 6.7% (16/240; P<.001), and 22.0% (55/250) reported that they had reduced the amount of OA-related medication. After 6 weeks, 24% (13/54) of those desiring surgery at the start of the program were no longer interested. In addition, the comparison between Joint Academy and the BOA program showed similar levels of pain at 3 months, but suggested greater reduction with the use of Joint Academy due to a higher level of pain at baseline. Conclusions: The reported data suggest that participation in Joint Academy is associated with a clinically relevant decrease in pain and an increase in physical function and HRQoL, as well as a decreasing fear of physical activity. This innovative Web-based OA treatment is scalable, is population specific, and can reach a large number of individuals with impaired joints who have Internet access.</p>}},
author = {{Nero, Håkan and Dahlberg, Jakob and Dahlberg, Leif E.}},
issn = {{1438-8871}},
keywords = {{Digital Treatment; Ehealth; Osteoarthritis; Pain; Physical Function; Telemedicine}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{12}},
publisher = {{JMIR Publications Inc.}},
series = {{Journal of Medical Internet Research}},
title = {{A 6-Week Web-Based osteoarthritis treatment program : Observational quasi-experimental study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9255}},
doi = {{10.2196/jmir.9255}},
volume = {{19}},
year = {{2017}},
}