Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the experiences of primary care consultation among older adults with symptomatic foot osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODS: Eleven participants (6 women and 5 men) ages 56-80 years who had radiographically confirmed symptomatic foot OA and consulted a general practitioner in the last 12 months for foot pain were purposively sampled. Semistructured interviews explored the nature of the foot problem, help-seeking behaviors, and consultation experiences. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
RESULTS: The decision to consult a physician was often the outcome of a complex process influenced by quantitative and qualitative changes in symptoms, difficulty maintaining day-to-day roles and responsibilities and the effect this had on family and work colleagues, and a reluctance to present a fragile or aging self to the outside world. Self-management was commonly negotiated alongside multimorbidities. Upon seeking help, participants often believed they received limited information, they were given a brief or even cursory assessment, and that treatment was focused on the prescription of analgesic drugs.
CONCLUSION: This is the first qualitative study of primary care experiences among patients with symptomatic foot OA. The experience of primary care seldom appeared to move beyond a label of arthritis and an unwelcome emphasis on pharmacologic treatment.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2051-2055 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Arthritis and Rheumatism |
Volume | 65 |
Issue number | 12 |
Early online date | 27 Nov 2013 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2013 |
Keywords
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Female
- Foot Diseases
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Osteoarthritis
- Patient Satisfaction
- Primary Health Care
- Qualitative Research
- Referral and Consultation