title: Footwear Experiences of People With Chronic Musculoskeletal Diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Foot pain and deformities are frequently reported by people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases, but only limited research has been conducted to explore the key issues concerning footwear difficulties in this population. The aim of this study is to explore, identify, and describe the main issues surrounding the footwear experiences of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative manifest content analysis of open-ended survey responses concerning footwear experiences was conducted from a national footwear survey of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases in New Zealand. Eighty-five respondents submitted usable responses. Specific statements in the text were identified as units of analysis prior to coding and organizing these units into emerging mutually exclusive categories. Content analysis was independently undertaken by 3 researchers, and the final categories and coding were achieved through consensus. Frequencies of assigned units of analysis were calculated in order to obtain a quantitative description for each category.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four categories encompassing a total of 9 subcategories related to the footwear experiences of respondents emerged from the qualitative data content analysis: difficulty finding appropriate footwear; dissatisfaction with therapeutic footwear provision and foot care access; high costs of footwear, foot care, and self-care; and satisfaction with therapeutic footwear and foot care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Key categories describing the important issues surrounding the footwear experiences of respondents with chronic musculoskeletal diseases were identified, which may provide important targets for improving footwear and foot care services and self-management strategies.
authors.affiliation: Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Gordon J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hendry
authors.affiliation: Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brenton-Rule
authors.affiliation: Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rome
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003625:Data Collection; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases; D009520:New Zealand; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012775:Shoes