File
Gustafsson K1,2, Kvist J2,3, Eriksson M4, Dahlberg L5, Rolfson O6
1Rehabilitation Centre, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden, 2University of Linköping, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Physiotherapy, Linköping, Sweden, 3Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Stockholm, Sweden, 4University of Linköping, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, and, Futurum Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden, 5Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Orthopedics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, 6University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
Background: Self-management programs providing education and supervised exercise is considered a mainstay in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). Among many factors, socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with the course of OA progression. However, it is unclear if the population who utilizes self-management programs reflects the general population with regard to SES.
Purpose: To explore SES among patients with hip or knee OA who have participated in a national self-management program compared to a matched general population sample in Sweden.
Methods: We used data on 73 650 patients from the BOA register, a national quality register holding information on individuals registered for participation in a standardized self-management program for patients with hip or knee OA. Patients were sex- and age matched (1:3) to a general population sample (n=220 950) provided by Statistics Sweden. We undertook a cross-sectional analysis on educational attainment, cohabiting status, type of occupation and country of birth.
Results: The BOA population had significant higher (p 0.001) educational attainment (low 23%, medium 50%, high 27%), compared with in the reference population (low 29%, medium 47%, high 24%). In the BOA population was 59% cohabiting and 41% living alone (reference population 55% and 45%, respectively) (p 0.001) . Of the population at work the distribution of white and blue collar workers in the BOA population was 51%/49%, and the same in the reference population 51%/49%.In the BOA population, 91 % were born in Sweden, 7% in some other European country, and 2% outside of Europe. For the reference population the distribution was 87%, 10% and 4% (p 0.001).
Conclusion(s): Patients who register for the national hip and knee self-management program in Sweden have higher SES than the general population. This indicates that the program may be insufficient to target and attract those with potentially the greatest needs.
Implications: The results of this study will be used in modification of the OA self-management program, in order to achieve a more equal socioeconomic profile and decrease the disparities in access OA care. The results will also help to better interpret the result from future studies on the BOA population
Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Socioeconomic status, Self-management program
Funding acknowledgements: The study is financially supported by AFA Insurance, Sweden (160176).
Purpose: To explore SES among patients with hip or knee OA who have participated in a national self-management program compared to a matched general population sample in Sweden.
Methods: We used data on 73 650 patients from the BOA register, a national quality register holding information on individuals registered for participation in a standardized self-management program for patients with hip or knee OA. Patients were sex- and age matched (1:3) to a general population sample (n=220 950) provided by Statistics Sweden. We undertook a cross-sectional analysis on educational attainment, cohabiting status, type of occupation and country of birth.
Results: The BOA population had significant higher (p 0.001) educational attainment (low 23%, medium 50%, high 27%), compared with in the reference population (low 29%, medium 47%, high 24%). In the BOA population was 59% cohabiting and 41% living alone (reference population 55% and 45%, respectively) (p 0.001) . Of the population at work the distribution of white and blue collar workers in the BOA population was 51%/49%, and the same in the reference population 51%/49%.In the BOA population, 91 % were born in Sweden, 7% in some other European country, and 2% outside of Europe. For the reference population the distribution was 87%, 10% and 4% (p 0.001).
Conclusion(s): Patients who register for the national hip and knee self-management program in Sweden have higher SES than the general population. This indicates that the program may be insufficient to target and attract those with potentially the greatest needs.
Implications: The results of this study will be used in modification of the OA self-management program, in order to achieve a more equal socioeconomic profile and decrease the disparities in access OA care. The results will also help to better interpret the result from future studies on the BOA population
Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Socioeconomic status, Self-management program
Funding acknowledgements: The study is financially supported by AFA Insurance, Sweden (160176).
Topic: Musculoskeletal; Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing; Education: clinical
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University of Gothenburg
Ethics committee: Regional Ethical Review Board in Gothenburg
Ethics number: dnr 1059–16
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
