Family practice nurses supporting self-management in older patients with mild osteoarthritis: a randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
Supporting self-management intends to improve life-style, which is beneficial for patients with mild osteoarthritis (OA). We evaluated a nurse-based intervention on older OA patients' self-management with the aim to assess its effects on mobility and functioning.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial of patients (> or = 65 years) with mild hip or knee OA from nine family practices in the Netherlands. Intervention consisted of supporting patients' self-management of OA symptoms using a practice-based nurse. Outcome measures were patients' mobility, using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), and patient reported functioning, using an arthritis specific scale (Dutch AIMS2 SF).


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients were randomized to the intervention group and 53 to the control group. Patient-reported functioning improved on four scales in the intervention group compared to one scale in the control group. However, this result was not significant. Mobility improved in both groups, without a significant difference between the two groups. There were no differences between the groups regarding consultations with family physicians or physiotherapists, or medication use.


CONCLUSIONS
A nurse-based intervention on older OA patients' self-management did not improve self-reported functioning, mobility or patients' use of health care resources.
Wetzels
Raymond
R
Centre for Quality of Care Research (WOK), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. r.wetzels@kwazo.umcn.nl
van Weel
Chris
C
Grol
Richard
R
Wensing
Michel
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015399:Nursing Research; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce