2025/04/21 by Rachel K Nelligan, Rana S. Hinman, Fiona McManus +4 · 1 voice
Medicine · Health Professions · #Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms #Total Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes #Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
paper · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2025.108792
openalex publication_date 2025/04/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate a knee/hip osteoarthritis eLearning course for patients. METHODS: Randomised controlled trial. 124 community volunteers with knee/hip osteoarthritis were randomised to either i) a 4-week self-directed eLearning or ii) an electronic osteoarthritis pamphlet (control). PRIMARY OUTCOMES: change in knowledge (Osteoarthritis Knowledge Scale (OAKS)) and pain self-efficacy (Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES pain subscale)) over 5 weeks. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: fear of movement, exercise self-efficacy, osteoarthritis illness perceptions, physical activity levels, and use of physical activity/exercise, weight loss, pain medication, and health professional care seeking to manage joint symptoms. RESULTS: 117(94 %) participants (mean (SD) age, 67.1(8.8) years; 91(77.8 %) female) provided 5-week primary outcomes. At 5-weeks, eLearning group showed greater improvements in osteoarthritis knowledge (mean difference 5.3(95 % CI 2.5,8.2), < 0.001), which was sustained at 13-weeks (4.6(2.1,7.0), < 0.001). There were no between-group differences in pain self-efficacy. Between-group differences for exercise self-efficacy and osteoarthritis illness perceptions at 5-weeks, and fear of movement and use of weight loss to manage joint symptoms at 13-weeks, favoured eLearning group. CONCLUSIONS: eLearning produced immediate and sustained improvements in osteoarthritis knowledge but not pain self-efficacy compared to a typical osteoarthritis education intervention (information pamphlet). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Self-directed interactive eLearning is an effective method to educate patients about hip/knee osteoarthritis and its management.