Physical Therapists Prioritize Providing Education About Exercise Therapy and to Dispel Misconceptions About Radiology for People With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Concept Mapping Study.

GOFF, ANTHONY J.; DONALDSON, ALEX; DE OLIVEIRA SILVA, DANILO; CROSSLEY, KAY M.; BARTON, CHRISTIAN J.

*OBJECTIVE: To (1) identify the education priorities that physical therapists have for people with knee osteoarthritis, including perceived importance and capability to provide, and (2) match priorities to education-specific content recommendations in knee osteoarthritis guidelines. * DESIGN: Concept mapping methodology. * METHODS: Physical therapists generated, sorted (based on themes), and rated (5-point Likert scales: importance and capability) patient education priorities. Priorities were matched against education-specific content recommendations in knee osteoarthritis guidelines. Additional education-specific content recommendations were added from guidelines and expert opinion if necessary. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis produced a cluster map with overarching domains. * RESULTS: Physical therapists (brainstorming, n = 41; sorting, n = 20; rating, n = 22) generated 56 priorities, with 13 added (n = 2 from guidelines, n = 11 from expert opinion). Few priorities were clearly included as education-specific content recommendations in guidelines (ACR [2%, n = 1/56], EULAR [14%, 8/56], NICE [11%, 6/56], and OARSI [0%, 0/56]). An 8-cluster map emerged with 3 overarching domains: (i) first-line care (exercise therapy, lifestyle modification and general health, and weight management), (ii) knowledge formation and countering misconceptions (radiology misconceptions, understanding and managing pain and disability, and general beliefs and understanding about osteoarthritis), and (iii) decision making for medical management (surgery and medications). The exercise therapy cluster was rated the highest for both importance (3.84/5) and capability (4.00). The medications and weight management clusters were rated the lowest for importance (2.54) and capability (2.82), respectively. * CONCLUSION: Physical therapists prioritize a range of education topics for people with knee osteoarthritis, focusing on exercise therapy. Physical therapists feel least capable of providing weight management education.

KNEE osteoarthritis; REGULATION of body weight; PROFESSIONS; CONCEPT mapping; RESEARCH methodology; MULTIDIMENSIONAL scaling; MEDICAL protocols; SCALE analysis (Psychology); DESCRIPTIVE statistics; QUESTIONNAIRES; PATIENT education; THEMATIC analysis; CLUSTER analysis (Statistics); DECISION making in clinical medicine; EXERCISE therapy; PHYSICAL therapists' attitudes; DELPHI method

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2022, Vol 52, Issue 9, p607

0190-6011

Academic Journal

10.2519/jospt.2022.11090