title: Primary family caregivers' observations and perceptions of their older relatives' knee osteoarthritis pain and pain management: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore primary family caregivers' observations and perceptions of their older relatives' knee osteoarthritis pain and pain management.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint disorders in older people. Studies have mainly focused on spouses' or partners' perceptions of older individuals' osteoarthritis pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative description.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary family caregivers of older outpatients with osteoarthritis (N = 28) were recruited by convenience from one medical centre in northern Taiwan and two regional hospitals in northern and eastern Taiwan in 2012. Data were collected in individual interviews using a semi-structured guide and analysed by content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary family caregivers observed that their older relatives commonly mentioned that osteoarthritis pain interfered with their walking ability, daily activities, moods, sleep and social activities. Older adults commonly shared their pain with their family members. Participants observed that their older relatives with osteoarthritis used limited pain-management strategies to relieve pain, but participants provided few pain-management strategies to help their relatives. Most participants had limited knowledge about osteoarthritis pain. Some participants and their older relatives held negative attitudes towards using pain medicines. Most participants suggested that other families should bring their older relatives with osteoarthritis pain to see a doctor as soon as possible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that family caregivers were the main support for older people with osteoarthritis. Interventions should educate patients and family members about osteoarthritis causes, common misconceptions about osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis pain medicines and treatment and encourage family members' support.
authors.affiliation: Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Yao
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.|Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yun-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yea-Pyng
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsien-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing*; D010146:Pain; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Taiwan; nursing; older adults; osteoarthritis; pain; primary family caregivers