Patient perspectives on improving osteoarthritis management in urban and rural communities.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis (OA), there are lifestyle modifications that can mitigate symptoms such as pain, and improve management of the disease. This information is not always translated to community-dwelling seniors. Individuals in rural areas often face additional challenges due to geographic isolation and decreased access to community services.

Methods

We used qualitative research methodology (hermeneutic phenomenology) to better understand the lived experiences of urban and rural community-dwelling seniors diagnosed with OA. We explored their sources of information about OA, how they manage their OA pain, and how OA management could be improved in the community. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 information-rich participants (11

SUBMITTER: Ali SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5826243 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature