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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability among older adults. By 2050, approximately 60 million will suffer from arthritis adding up to a total societal cost of $65 billion. Chronic illnesses resulting in pain, and functional decline have been associated with depression in previous studies.A causal model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling that examined depression scores of 503 older (age 50-85), male Veterans with moderate to severe symptomatic OA of the knee\hip.The results of the structural equation modeling produced a final model of depressive symptomatology that fit the data well (Chi square = 12.23, DF = 11, p = .346; TLI = .99; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA = .02).The findings indicate the central role that OA severity (pain, stiffness, and functional difficulties) plays in the mental health of older Veterans in terms of the level of reported depressive symptoms.

Objective: While opioids are known to cause unintended adverse effects, they are being utilized by a number of patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of patient familiarity and perceptions regarding efficacy and risks with opioid medication use for OA., Methods: A total of 362 adults with knee and/or hip OA were surveyed in this cross-sectional study. Patients' familiarity with and perceptions of benefits/risks of opioid medications were measured to evaluate potential associations with the utilization of opioid medications for OA within the last 6 months. Logistic regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables., Results: In this sample, 28.7% (100/349) reported use of an opioid medication for OA-related symptoms in the last 6 months. Those who were on an opioid medication, compared to those who were not, were younger (mean age 62.5 vs 64.8 yrs), were more likely to have a high school education or lower (48.0% vs 35.3%), and had higher mean depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ]-8 7.2 vs 4.9) and OA-related pain (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index [WOMAC] 54.8 vs 46.8) scores. After adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical variables, the following were associated with opioid medication use: higher perception of medication benefit (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.18-2.41), lower perception of medication risk (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51-0.88), and having family or friends who received the medication for OA (OR 3.88, 95% CI 1.88-8.02)., Conclusion: Among adults with knee/hip OA, opioid use was associated with being familiar with the treatment, as well as believing that the medication was beneficial and low-risk., (Copyright © 2021 by the Journal of Rheumatology.)

Objective: Perceived discrimination is associated with chronic pain and depression and contributes to racial health disparities. In a cohort of older adult veterans with osteoarthritis (OA), our objective was to examine how membership in multiple socially disadvantaged groups (cumulative disadvantage) was associated with perceived discrimination, pain, and depression. We also tested whether perceived discrimination mediated the association of cumulative disadvantage with depression and pain., Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 270 African American veterans and 247 White veterans enrolled in a randomized controlled trial testing a psychological intervention for chronic pain at 2 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Participants were age ≥50 years and self-reported symptomatic knee OA. Measures included the Everyday Discrimination Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain subscale, and demographic variables. Cumulative disadvantage was defined as the number of socially disadvantaged groups to which each participant belonged (i.e., self-reported female sex, African American race, annual income of <$20,000, and/or unemployed due to disability). We used linear regression models and Sobel's test of mediation to examine hypotheses., Results: The mean ± SD number of social disadvantages was 1.3 ± 1.0. Cumulative disadvantage was significantly associated with higher perceived discrimination, pain, and depression (P < 0.001 for all). Perceived discrimination significantly mediated the association between cumulative disadvantage and depression symptoms (Z = 3.75, P < 0.001) as well as pain severity (Z = 2.24, P = 0.025)., Conclusion: Perceived discrimination is an important psychosocial stressor that contributes to worsening OA-related mental and physical health outcomes, with greater effects among those from multiple socially disadvantaged groups., (© 2020, American College of Rheumatology. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Objective: Sleep and pain-related experiences are consistently associated, but the pathways linking these experiences are not well understood. We evaluated whether pain catastrophizing and arthritis self-efficacy mediate the association between sleep disturbance and osteoarthritis (OA) symptom severity in patients with knee OA., Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data collected from Veterans Affairs (VA) patients enrolled in a clinical trial examining the effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention in managing pain from knee OA. Participants indicated how often in the past two weeks they were bothered by trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much. We used validated scales to assess the primary outcome (OA symptom severity) and potential mediators (arthritis self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing). To test the proposed mediation model, we used parallel multiple mediation analyses with bootstrapping, controlling for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with bivariate associations with OA symptom severity., Results: The sample included 517 patients (Mage = 64 years, 72.9% male, 52.2% African American). On average, participants reported experiencing sleep disturbance at least several days in the past two weeks (M = 1.41, SD = 1.18) and reported moderate OA symptom severity (M = 48.22, SD = 16.36). More frequent sleep disturbance was associated with higher OA symptom severity directly (b = 3.08, P <0.001) and indirectly, through higher pain catastrophizing (b = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20 to 1.11) and lower arthritis self-efficacy (b = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.42 to 1.42)., Conclusions: Pain catastrophizing and arthritis self-efficacy partially mediated the association between sleep disturbance and OA symptom severity. Behavioral interventions that address pain catastrophizing and/or self-efficacy may buffer the association between sleep disturbance and OA symptom severity., (2019 American Academy of Pain Medicine. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.)

Objective: To determine the extent of ethnic differences in the use of exercise for therapy and identify relevant modifiable determinants of exercise use among patients with knee/hip osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: Knee/hip OA study participants were identified. Surveys were administered to collect patient sociodemographic and clinical information, and beliefs and attitudes about providers and treatments. Final multivariable logistic regression models were created using a fully conditional method., Results: Hispanic participants (n = 130), compared to non-Hispanic participants (n = 232), were less likely to have private medical insurance (9.2% versus 31.0%) or to report having excellent/very good health (40.7% versus 52.6%). They were also less likely to report using exercise for OA treatment in the last 6 months (56% versus 73%; P = 0.003). When adjusted for age and disease severity, the difference in exercise use among ethnicities remained significant (odds ratio [OR] 0.59 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.36-0.99]). In a multivariable logistic regression model designed to determine the most important determinants of exercise use for OA treatment, in the last 6 months the following were all associated with exercise use: having knee instead of hip OA (OR 2.83 [95% CI 1.51-5.29]), having family/friends who exercise (OR 3.20 [95% CI 1.76-5.84]), having a good understanding of what happens after exercise (OR 2.19 [95 CI 1.15-4.19]), and higher perceived benefit of exercise (OR 2.24 [95% CI 1.64-3.04])., Conclusion: Among patients with knee/hip OA, Hispanics were less likely to exercise for OA treatment. Increased knowledge about the benefits of exercise for treatment and improved familiarity with exercise as treatment for OA may increase exercise use., (© 2019, American College of Rheumatology.)

Objective: Determine modifiable social and psychological health factors that are associated with use of oral opioid and non-opioid medications for OA., Methods: Patients were categorized based on use of the following oral medications: opioids (with/without other oral analgesic treatments), non-opioid analgesics, and no oral analgesic treatment. We used multinomial logistic regression models to estimate adjusted relative risk ratios (RRRs) of using an opioid or a non-opioid analgesic (vs. no oral analgesic treatment), comparing patients by levels of social support (Medical Outcomes Study scale), health literacy ("How confident are you filling out medical forms by yourself?"), and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-8). Models were adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics., Results: In this sample (mean age 64.2 years, 23.6% women), 30.6% (n = 110) reported taking opioid analgesics for OA, 54.2% (n = 195) reported non-opioid use, and 15.3% (n = 55) reported no oral analgesic use. Opioid users had lower mean social support scores (10.0 vs 10.5 vs 11.9, P = 0.007) and were more likely to have moderate-severe depressive symptoms (42.7% vs 24.1% vs 14.5%, P < 0.001). Health literacy did not differ by treatment group type. Having moderate-severe depression was associated with higher risk of opioid analgesic use compared to no oral analgesic use (RRR 2.96, 95%CI 1.08-8.07) when adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors. Neither social support nor health literacy was associated with opioid or non-opioid oral analgesic use in fully adjusted models., Conclusions: Knee OA patients with more severe depression symptoms, compared to those without, were more likely to report using opioid analgesics for OA., (Copyright © 2019 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. All rights reserved.)

Background: Decision quality measures the degree to which care decisions are knowledge-based and value-aligned. Because military service emphasizes hierarchy, command, and mandates some healthcare decisions, military service may attenuate patient autonomy in healthcare decisions and lower decision quality. VA is the nation's largest provider of orthopedic care. We compared decision quality in a sample of VA and non-VA patients seeking care for knee osteoarthritis., Methods: Our study sample consisted of patients newly referred to our orthopedic clinic for the management of knee osteoarthritis. None of the study patients were exposed to a knee osteoarthritis decision aid. Consenting patients were administered the Hip/Knee Decision Quality Instrument (HK-DQI). In addition, they were surveyed about decision-making preferences and demographics. We compared results to a non-VA cohort from our academic institution's arthroplasty database., Results: The HK-DQI Knowledge Score was lower in the VA cohort (45%, SD = 22, n = 25) compared with the non-VA cohort (53%, SD = 21, n = 177) (p = 0.04). The Concordance Score was lower in the VA cohort (36%, SD = 49%) compared with the control cohort (70%, SD 46%) (p = 0.003). Non-VA patients were more likely to make a high-quality decision (p = 0.05). Non-VA patients were more likely to favor a shared decision-making process (p = 0.002)., Conclusions: Decision quality is lower in Veterans with knee osteoarthritis compared with civilians, placing them at risk for lower treatment satisfaction and possibly unwarranted surgical utilization. Our future work will examine if this difference is from conditioned military service behaviors or confounding demographic factors, and if conventional shared decision-making techniques will correct this deficiency.

Knee osteoarthritis is a painful, disabling condition that disproportionately affects African Americans. Existing arthritis treatments yield small to moderate improvements in pain and have not been effective at reducing racial disparities in the management of pain. The biopsychosocial model of pain and evidence from the positive psychology literature suggest that increasing positive psychological skills (e.g., gratitude, kindness) could improve pain and functioning and reduce disparities in osteoarthritis pain management. Activities to cultivate positive psychological skills have been developed and validated; however, they have not been tested in patients with osteoarthritis, their effects on racial differences in health outcomes have not been examined, and evidence of their effects on health outcomes in patients with other chronic illnesses is of limited quality. In this article we describe the rationale and design of Staying Positive with Arthritis (SPA) study, a randomized controlled trial in which 180 African American and 180 White primary care patients with chronic pain from knee osteoarthritis will be randomized to a 6-week program of either positive skill-building activities or neutral control activities. The primary outcomes will be self-reported pain and functioning as measured by the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index. We will assess these primary outcomes and potential, exploratory psychosocial mediating variables at an in-person baseline visit and by telephone at 1, 3, and 6months following completion of the assigned program. If effective, the SPA program would be a novel, theoretically-informed psychosocial intervention to improve quality and equity of care in the management of chronic pain from osteoarthritis., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Importance: Black patients with advanced osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee are significantly less likely than white patients to undergo surgery. No strategies have been proved to improve access to surgery for black patients with end-stage OA of the knee., Objective: To assess whether a decision aid improves access to total knee replacement (TKR) surgery for black patients with OA of the knee., Design, Setting, and Participants: In a randomized clinical trial, 336 eligible participants who self-identified as black and 50 years or older with chronic and frequent knee pain, a Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score of at least 39, and radiographic evidence of OA of the knee were recruited from December 1, 2010, to May 31, 2014, at 3 medical centers. Exclusion criteria were history of major joint replacement, terminal illness, inflammatory arthritis, prosthetic leg, cognitive impairment, lack of a telephone, or contraindications to elective replacement surgery. Data were analyzed on a per-protocol and intention-to-treat (ITT) basis., Exposure: Access to a decision aid for OA of the knee, a 40-minute video that describes the risks and benefits of TKR surgery., Main Outcomes and Measures: Receipt of TKR surgery within 12 months and/or a recommendation for TKR surgery from an orthopedic surgeon within 6 months after the intervention., Results: Among 336 patients (101 men [30.1%]; 235 women [69.9%]; mean [SD] age, 59.1 [7.2] years) randomized to the intervention or control group, 13 of 168 controls (7.7%) and 25 of 168 intervention patients (14.9%) underwent TKR within 12 months (P = .04). These changes represent a 70% increase in the TKR rate, which increased by 86% (11 of 154 [7.1%] vs 23 of 150 [15.3%]; P = .02) in the per-protocol sample. Twenty-six controls (15.5%) and 34 intervention patients (20.2%) in the ITT analysis received a recommendation for surgery within 6 months (P = .25). The difference in the surgery recommendation rate between the controls (24 of 154 [15.6%]) and the intervention group (31 of 150 [20.7%]) in the per-protocol analysis also was not statistically significant (P = .25). Adjustment for study site yielded similar results: for receipt of TKR at 12 months, adjusted ORs were 2.10 (95% CI, 1.04-4.27) for the ITT analysis and 2.39 (95% CI, 1.12-5.10) for the per-protocol analysis; for recommendation of TKR at 6 months, 1.39 (95% CI, 0.79-2.44) and 1.41 (95% CI, 0.78-2.55)., Conclusions and Relevance: A decision aid increased rates of TKR among black patients. However, rates of recommendation for surgery did not differ significantly. A patient-centered counseling and educational intervention may help to address racial variations in the use of TKR for the management of end-stage OA of the knee., Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifer: NCT01851785.

Objective: To define a minimum Standard Set of outcome measures and case-mix factors for monitoring, comparing, and improving health care for patients with clinically diagnosed hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA), with a focus on defining the outcomes that matter most to patients., Methods: An international working group of patients, arthroplasty register experts, orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, rheumatologists, and physiotherapists representing 10 countries was assembled to review existing literature and practices for assessing outcomes of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic OA therapies, including surgery. A series of 8 teleconferences, incorporating a modified Delphi process, were held to reach consensus., Results: The working group reached consensus on a concise set of outcome measures to evaluate patients' joint pain, physical functioning, health-related quality of life, work status, mortality, reoperations, readmissions, and overall satisfaction with treatment result. To support analysis of these outcome measures, pertinent baseline characteristics and risk factor metrics were defined. Annual outcome measurement is recommended for all patients., Conclusion: We have defined a Standard Set of outcome measures for monitoring the care of people with clinically diagnosed hip or knee OA that is appropriate for use across all treatment and care settings. We believe this Standard Set provides meaningful, comparable, and easy to interpret measures ready to implement in clinics and/or registries globally. We view this set as an initial step that, when combined with cost data, will facilitate value-based health care improvements in the treatment of hip and knee OA., (© 2016, The Authors. Arthritis Care & Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: A TKA is the most effective and cost-effective surgical option for moderate to severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Yet, black patients are less willing to undergo knee replacement surgery than white patients. Decision aids help people understand treatment options and consider the personal importance of possible benefits and harms of treatments, including TKA., Questions/purposes: We asked: (1) Does a patient-centered intervention consisting of a decision aid for knee OA and motivational interviewing improve the proportion of referrals of blacks with knee OA to orthopaedic surgery? (2) Does the intervention increase patients' willingness to undergo TKA?, Methods: Adults who self-identified as black who were at least 50 years old with moderate to severe knee OA were enrolled from urban primary care clinics in a two-group randomized, controlled trial. A total of 1253 patients were screened for eligibility, and 760 were excluded for not meeting inclusion criteria, declining to participate, or other reasons. Four hundred ninety-three patients were randomized and completed the intervention; three had missing referral data at followup. The mean age of the patients was 61 years, and 51% were women. The majority had an annual household income less than USD 15,000. Participants in the treatment group were shown a decision-aid video and had a brief session with a trained counselor in motivational interviewing. Participants in the control group received an educational booklet about OA that did not mention joint replacement. The two groups had comparable demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The primary outcome was referral to orthopaedic surgery 12 months after treatment exposure. Receipt of referral was defined as the receipt of a recommendation or prescription from a primary care provider for orthopaedic evaluation. The secondary outcome was change in patient willingness to undergo TKA based on patient self-report., Results: The odds of receiving a referral to orthopaedic surgery did not differ between the two study groups (36%, 90 of 253 of the control group; 32%, 76 of 240 of the treatment group; odds ratio [OR], 0.81; 95% CI, 0.56-1.18; p = 0.277). At 2 weeks followup, there was no difference between the treatment and the control groups in terms of increased willingness to consider TKA relative to baseline (34%, 67 of 200 patients in the treatment group; 33%, 68 of 208 patients in the control group; OR, 1.06; p = 0.779). At 12 months followup, the percent increase in willingness to undergo TKA still did not differ between patients in the treatment and control groups (29%, 49 of 174 in the treatment group; 27%, 51 of 191 in the control group; OR, 1.10; p = 0.679)., Conclusion: A combination decision aid and motivational interviewing strategy was no better than an educational pamphlet in improving patients' preferences toward joint replacement surgery for knee OA. The type of intervention treatment also did not affect access to surgical evaluation. Other tools that target patient knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding surgical treatments for OA may be further developed and tested in the future., Level of Evidence: Level I, therapeutic study.

Objective: Evaluate the relationship between patient preferences for total knee replacement (TKR) with receipt of TKR, and assess participant characteristics that may influence change in willingness to undergo TKR., Methods: Structured interviews of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients were conducted. Logistic regression models were conducted to assess the association between baseline willingness and eventual receipt of TKR, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Mixed models for repeated measures were used to estimate the effects of sex, race, social support, Δ WOMAC, and orthopedic consult on change in willingness., Results: A total of 589 participants were willing, and 215 participants were unwilling to undergo TKR. Willing participants, compared to others, were more often White (69.4% vs. 48.4%), with more than a high school education (60.8% vs. 47.0%) and employed (39.1% vs. 26.5%). At follow-up, the odds of having TKR were twice as high among those who were willing to have the procedure at baseline, but this was no longer significant when adjusted for demographic variables (adjusted OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 0.89-3.69). Willingness to undergo TKR declined over 2 years. Among those who were willing to undergo TKR at baseline but did not obtain one, only 66.5% were still willing at the 2-year follow-up. This decline was less among those who had a greater increase (>median) in WOMAC disability (adjusted Δ = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.47 to -0.20) than those who had minimal change in their WOMAC disability (p = 0.08). The decline in willingness was also less among those who had seen an orthopedic surgeon (adjusted Δ = -0.32, 95% CI: -0.46 to -0.17) than those who did not (p = 0.05)., Conclusions: Preference for TKR was consistent with TKR surgery utilization, but not after controlling for patient demographic characteristics. Willingness to undergo TKR declined over time, but this decrease was mitigated by worsening OA-related disability and by consultation with an orthopedic surgeon., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Patient preferences contribute to marked racial disparities in the utilization of total knee replacement (TKR). The objectives of this study were to identify the determinants of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients' preferences regarding TKR by race and to identify the variables that may mediate racial differences in willingness to undergo TKR., Methods: Five hundred fourteen White (WH) and 285 African-American (AA) patients with chronic knee pain and radiographic evidence of OA participated in the study. Participants were recruited from the community, an academic medical center, and a Veterans Affairs hospital. Structured interviews were conducted to collect socio-demographics, disease severity, socio-cultural determinants, and treatment preferences. Logistic regression was performed, stratified by race, to identify determinants of preferences. Clinical and socio-cultural factors were entered simultaneously into the models. Stepwise selection identified factors for inclusion in the final models (p < 0.20)., Results: Compared to WHs, AAs were less willing to undergo TKR (80 % vs. 62 %, respectively). Better expectations regarding TKR surgery outcomes determined willingness to undergo surgery in both AAs (odds ratio (OR) 2.08, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.91-4.79 for 4(th) vs. 1(st) quartile) and WHs (OR 5.11, 95 % CI 2.31-11.30 for 4(th) vs. 1(st) quartile). Among AAs, better understanding of the procedure (OR 1.80, 95 % CI 0.97-3.35), perceiving a short hospital course (OR 0.81, 95 % CI 0.58-1.13), and believing in less post-surgical pain (OR 0.73, 95 % CI 0.39-1.35) and walking difficulties (OR 0.66, 95 % CI 0.37-1.16) also determined willingness. Among WHs, having surgical discussion with a physician (OR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.05-3.68), not ever receiving surgical referral (OR 0.56, 95 % CI 0.32-0.99), and higher trust in the healthcare system (OR 1.58, 95 % CI 0.75-3.31 for 4(th) vs. 1(st) quartile) additionally determined willingness. Among the variables considered, only knowledge-related matters pertaining to TKR attenuated the racial difference in knee OA patients' treatment preference., Conclusions: Expectations of surgical outcomes influence preference for TKR in all patients, but clinical and socio-cultural factors exist that shape marked racial differences in preferences for TKR. Interventions to reduce or eliminate racial disparities in the utilization of TKR should consider and target these factors.

Objective: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely utilized and effective treatment option for end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA). Knee OA is more prevalent among women compared to men, but there are limited data on the sex differences in surgical outcomes after primary TKA., Methods: Our sample consisted of all primary TKAs performed in Pennsylvania during the fiscal year 2002. We used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes to identify major complications and surgical revision. We used mixed-effects logistic regression models to examine the associations between sex and all-cause mortality, readmissions, and major surgical complications. We used proportional hazards models to assess the risk of surgical revision after index arthroplasty. We adjusted for race, age, hospital teaching status, hospital procedure volume, insurance status, and risk of mortality., Results: In 17,994 primary TKAs, there were 46 and 220 deaths at 30 days and 1 year, respectively. Compared to women, men had higher adjusted odds of 1-year mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.48 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13-1.94]) after primary TKA. The overall odds of most major 30-day complications did not differ by sex except for surgical wound infections, which were higher in men compared to women (OR 1.31 [95% CI 1.08-1.60]); 30-day readmission was higher in men (OR 1.25 [95% CI 1.10-1.43]). Men had significantly higher rates of revision of index knee arthroplasty at 5 years (hazard ratio 1.20 [95% CI 1.05-1.36]) compared to women., Conclusion: The higher rates of mortality, hospital readmissions, revision surgery, and wound infections in men undergoing elective primary TKA compared to women indicate there is a sex disparity in these outcomes., (Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Objective: To determine whether there are racial differences in social support among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and whether the impact of social support on patient preferences for total knee replacement (TKR) varies by race and sex., Methods: A total of 514 white and 285 African American patients with knee OA were surveyed. Logistic regression models were performed to determine if the relationship between willingness to undergo TKR and the interaction of patient race and sex was mediated by social support., Results: Compared to whites with knee OA, African American patients were less likely to be married (P < 0.001), reported less close friends/relatives (P < 0.001), and had lower Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS) scores (P < 0.001). African American patients were also less willing to undergo TKR (62% versus 80%; P < 0.001) than whites. The odds of willingness to undergo TKR were less in white females compared to white males when adjusted for recruitment site, age, income, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score (odds ratio [OR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.34-0.96). This difference was no longer significant when further adjusted for marital status, number of close friends/relatives, and MOS-SSS score, but the effect size remained unchanged (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.35-1.02). The odds of willingness to undergo TKR remained much less in African American females (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.19-0.64) and African American males (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.14-0.54) compared to white males when controlled for sociodemographic, clinical, and social support measures., Conclusion: African American patients reported less structural and functional social support than whites. Social support is an important determinant of preference for TKR surgery only among whites., (Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Objective: African American patients are significantly less likely to undergo knee replacement for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Racial difference in preference (willingness) has emerged as a key factor. This study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of a patient-centered educational intervention on patient willingness and the likelihood of receiving a referral to an orthopedic clinic., Methods: A total of 639 African American patients with moderate-to-severe knee OA from 3 Veterans Affairs primary care clinics were enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design. Patients were shown a knee OA decision-aid video with or without brief counseling. The main outcome measures were change in patient willingness and receipt of a referral to an orthopedic clinic. Also assessed were whether patients discussed knee pain with their primary care provider or saw an orthopedic surgeon within 12 months of the intervention., Results: At baseline, 67% of the participants were definitely/probably willing to consider knee replacement, with no difference among the groups. The intervention increased patient willingness (75%) in all groups at 1 month. For those who received the decision aid intervention alone, the gains were sustained for up to 3 months. By 12 months postintervention, patients who received any intervention were more likely to report engaging their provider in a discussion about knee pain (92% versus 85%), to receive a referral to an orthopedic surgeon (18% versus 13%), and for those with a referral, to attend an orthopedic consult (61% versus 50%)., Conclusion: An educational intervention significantly increased the willingness of African American patients to consider knee replacement. It also improved the likelihood of patient-provider discussion about knee pain and access to surgical evaluation., (Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Although much research has documented disparities exist for utilization of TJA, additional studies have shown that we have not narrowed the gap. Because multiple studies have shown that insurance and access to care are not necessarily underlying causes for these disparities, other studies have shown that there are real and significant differences between racial/ethnic groups in preferences for and expectations of joint arthroplasty. Additional research has established there are racial differences in certain postoperative processes and outcomes. Reasons have not been elucidated, but highlight the need for more research to understand these differences, their causes, and then to design interventions to minimize these inequalities.

Objective: To understand racial disparities in the use of total joint replacement, we examined whether there were racial differences in patient-provider communication about treatment of chronic knee and hip osteoarthritis in a sample of African American and white patients referred to Veterans Affairs orthopedic clinics., Methods: Audio recorded visits between patients and orthopedic surgeons were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System and the Informed Decision-Making model. Racial differences in communication outcomes were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for study design, patient characteristics, and clustering by provider., Results: The sample (n = 402) included 296 white and 106 African American patients. Most patients were men (95%) and ages 50-64 years (68%). Almost half (41%) reported an income <$20,000. African American patients were younger and reported lower incomes than white patients. Visits with African American patients contained less discussion of biomedical topics (β = -9.14; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] -16.73, -1.54) and more rapport-building statements (β = 7.84; 95% CI 1.85, 13.82) than visits with white patients. However, no racial differences were observed with regard to length of visit, overall amount of dialogue, discussion of psychosocial issues, patient activation/engagement statements, physician verbal dominance, display of positive affect by patients or providers, or discussion related to informed decision making., Conclusion: In this sample, communication between orthopedic surgeons and patients regarding the management of chronic knee and hip osteoarthritis did not, for the most part, vary by patient race. These findings diminish the potential role of communication in Veterans Affairs orthopedic settings as an explanation for well-documented racial disparities in the use of total joint replacement., (Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: The extent to which treatment recommendations in the orthopedic setting contribute to well-established racial disparities in the utilization of total joint replacement (TJR) in the treatment of advanced knee/hip osteoarthritis has not been explored., Objective: To examine whether orthopedic surgeons are less likely to recommend TJR to African-American patients compared to white patients with similar clinical indications, and whether there are racial differences in the receipt of TJR within six months of study enrollment., Design: Prospective, observational study., Participants: African-American (AA; n = 120) and white (n = 337) patients seeking treatment for knee or hip osteoarthritis in Veterans Affairs orthopedic clinics., Main Measures: Patients completed surveys that assessed socio-demographic and clinical variables that could influence osteoarthritis treatment. Orthopedic surgeons' notes were reviewed to determine whether patients had been recommended for TJR and whether they underwent the procedure within 6 months of study enrollment., Results: Rate of TJR recommendation was 19.5%. Odds of receiving a TJR recommendation were lower for AA than white patients of similar age and disease severity (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.83; P = 0.01). However, this difference was not significant after adjusting for patient preference for TJR (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.36-1.31, P = 0.25). Overall, 10.3% of patients underwent TJR within 6 months. TJR was less likely for AA patients than for white patients of similar age and disease severity (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.16-1.05, P = 0.06), but this difference was reduced after adjusting for whether patients had received a recommendation for the procedure at the index visit (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.21-1.54, P = 0.27)., Conclusions: In this study, race differences in patient preferences for TJR appeared to underlie race differences in TJR recommendations, which led to race differences in utilization of the procedure. Our findings suggest that patient treatment preferences play an important role in racial disparities in TJR utilization in the orthopedic setting.

Objective: Ethnic disparities in the use of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) may be attributed to differences in the clinical appropriateness to undergo TJA. We sought to determine if racial differences in clinical appropriateness for surgery existed among a sample of primary care clinic patients with moderately to severely symptomatic knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: We used the cross-sectional data of 684 patients who are potential candidates for TJA. Using a validated TJA appropriateness algorithm, an appropriateness factor was derived using the following variables: age (50-70 or > 70 yrs), Charlson comorbidity (< or = 1 or > 1), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) pain and physical function, and adequacy of previous medical management. We used logistic regression to estimate the association of race with the dichotomous outcome of clinical appropriateness for TJA consideration., Results: Sample consisted of 425 (62%) whites and 260 (38%) African Americans; 532 (78%) had knee OA and 153 (22%) had hip OA. The mean age was 64 +/- 9 years and the mean body mass index was 33.6 +/- 8 kg/m(2). The mean overall WOMAC score was 56 +/- 14 (range 30-96), suggesting moderately severe OA. There were no significant racial group differences (p = 0.3) in the proportions of those deemed clinically appropriate for TJA. After controlling for potential confounders, race was not a predictor of clinical appropriateness for TJA (odds ratio 1.2, 95% confidence interval 0.8-1.8, p = 0.3)., Conclusion: African Americans and whites were equally appropriate to be considered for TJA.

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent disease in older patients of all racial groups, and it is known to cause significant pain and functional disability. Racial differences in how patients cope with the chronic pain of knee or hip osteoarthritis may have implications for utilization of treatment modalities such as joint replacement. Therefore, we examined the relationships between patient race and pain coping strategies (diverting attention, reinterpreting pain, catastrophizing, ignoring sensations, hoping and praying, coping self-statements, and increasing behavior activities) for hip and knee osteoarthritis. This is a cross-sectional survey of 939 veterans 50 to 79 years old with chronic hip or knee osteoarthritis pain recruited from VA primary care clinics in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Patients had to have moderate to severe hip or knee osteoarthritis symptoms as measured by the WOMAC index. Standard, validated instruments were used to obtain information on attitudes and use of prayer, pain coping strategies, and arthritis self-efficacy. Analysis included separate multivariable models adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. Attitudes on prayer differed, with African Americans being more likely to perceive prayer as helpful (adjusted OR = 3.38, 95% CI 2.35 to 4.86) and to have tried prayer (adjusted OR = 2.28, 95% 1.66 to 3.13) to manage their osteoarthritis pain. Upon evaluating the coping strategies, we found that, compared to whites, African Americans had greater use of the hoping and praying method (beta = 0.74, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.99). Race was not associated with arthritis pain self-efficacy, arthritis function self-efficacy, or any other coping strategies. This increased use of the hoping and praying coping strategy by African Americans may play a role in the decreased utilization of total joint arthroplasty among African Americans compared to whites. Further investigation of the role this coping strategy has on the decision making process for total joint arthroplasty should be explored.

Objective: Prior studies have indicated racial differences in patients' expectations for joint replacement surgery outcomes. The goal of this study was to measure these differences using a well-validated survey instrument and to determine if the differences could be explained by racial variation in disease severity, socioeconomic factors, literacy, or trust., Methods: Detailed demographic, clinical, psychological, and social data were collected from 909 male patients (450 African American, 459 white) ages 50-79 years with moderate or severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee receiving primary care at 2 veterans affairs medical centers. The previously validated Joint Replacement Expectations Survey was used to assess expectations for pain relief, functional improvement, and psychological well-being after joint replacement., Results: Among knee OA patients (n = 627), the unadjusted mean expectation score (scale 0-76) for African American patients was 48.7 versus 53.6 for white patients (mean difference 4.9, P < 0.001). For hip OA patients (n = 282), the unadjusted mean expectation score (scale 0-72) for African Americans was 45.4 versus 51.5 for whites (mean difference 6.1, P < 0.001). Multivariable adjustment for disease severity, socioeconomic factors, education, social support, literacy, and trust reduced these racial differences to 3.8 points (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.2, 6.3) among knee OA patients and 4.2 points (95% CI 0.4, 8.0) among hip patients., Conclusion: Among potential candidates for joint replacement, African American patients have significantly lower expectations for surgical outcomes than white patients. This difference is not entirely explained by racial differences in demographics, disease severity, education, income, social support, or trust.

Background: Disease-specific beliefs may impact patients' perceptions of the efficacy of various treatment options, thus, it is important to understand these beliefs. We examined the relationship between patients' demographic characteristics and arthritis-specific beliefs related to aging., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey of 591 elderly primary care patients, who had symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and/or hip, at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Data were collected on age, race, educational level, income, and whether patients agreed or disagreed with four statements regarding aging and arthritis. We also assessed OA symptom severity using the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Index (WOMAC) and depressive symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Scale. We used logistic regression analyses to examine relationships between patients' age, race, and educational level and arthritis-specific health beliefs, while adjusting for OA symptom severity, radiographic confirmation of OA, OA joint burden, depressive symptoms, and income., Results: Patients 70 years old or older, as compared to patients 50-59 years old, were more likely to believe that: arthritis is a natural part of growing old; people should expect that when they get older, they won't be able to walk as well, and people should expect to live with pain as they grow older., Conclusion: Among older, male veterans, health beliefs regarding the relationship between aging and arthritis vary by age. Clinicians should consider these differences when discussing treatment strategies with their patients with knee and/or hip OA.

Objective: The utilization of joint arthroplasty for knee or hip osteoarthritis varies markedly by patient race/ethnicity. Because of concerns about surgical risk, black patients are less willing to consider this treatment. There are few published race/ethnicity-specific data on joint arthroplasty outcomes. The present study was undertaken to examine racial/ethnic differences in mortality and morbidity following elective knee or hip arthroplasty., Methods: Using information from the Veterans Administration National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, data on 12,108 patients who underwent knee arthroplasty and 6,703 patients who underwent hip arthroplasty over a 5-year period were analyzed. Racial/ethnic differences were determined using prospectively collected data on patient characteristics, procedures, and short-term outcomes. The main outcome measures were risk-adjusted 30-day mortality and complication rates., Results: Adjusted rates of both non-infection-related and infection-related complications after knee arthroplasty were higher among black patients compared with white patients (relative risk [RR] 1.50, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.08-2.10 and RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06-1.90, respectively). Hispanic patients had a significantly higher risk of infection-related complications after knee arthroplasty (RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.08-2.49) relative to otherwise similar white patients. Race/ethnicity was not significantly associated with the risk of non-infection-related complications (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.68-1.38 in blacks; RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.60-2.30 in Hispanics) or infection-related complications (RR 1.27, 95% CI 0.91-1.78 in blacks; RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.63-2.36 in Hispanics) after hip arthroplasty. The overall 30-day mortality was 0.6% following knee arthroplasty and 0.7% following hip arthroplasty, with no significant differences by race/ethnicity observed for either procedure., Conclusion: Although absolute risks of complication are low, our findings indicate that, after adjustment, black patients have significantly higher rates of infection-related and non-infection-related complications following knee arthroplasty, compared with white patients. In addition, adjusted rates of infection-related complications after knee arthroplasty are higher in Hispanic patients than in white patients. Such differences between ethnic groups are not seen following hip arthroplasty. These groups do not appear to differ significantly in terms of post-arthroplasty mortality rates.

Background: There is a marked racial difference in the use of knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis (OA). The reasons for this disparity remain unclear. We examined how African-American and white patients with symptomatic OA of the knee and/or hip compare with respect to their perceptions of care for knee and hip OA., Methods: Survey of 596 male patients with OA of the knee and/or hip in primary care clinics at Cleveland VAMC., Results: African-American (44%) and white (56%) study participants were comparable with respect to age and clinical factors. African Americans were more likely to have VA insurance only [OR=1.93 (1.13-3.28)]. African Americans were less likely to report difficulty getting medical care when needed [OR=0.54 (0.34-0.88)]. Differences in the two groups regarding satisfaction with and confidence in the primary physician were not significant. The proportions of participants who received specialty care referrals were similar., Conclusion: African-American patients reported having only VA insurance more often than white patients. Other aspects of perceived system and provider-based factors were similar between groups.

Objective: To determine if there is a difference in the perception of pain and functional disability between African Americans and Whites at any given radiographic severity of osteoarthritis (OA). Ethnic differences in utilization of joint replacement may reflect differences in the perception of symptoms of OA., Methods: A cross-sectional survey included 596 male veterans (44% African Americans and 56% Whites) with chronic moderate to severe knee and/or hip pain at the General Medicine Clinics. The average age of the total cohort was 65.63 +/- 9.5 years. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for pain and function were the primary outcome measures of interest. All knee and or hip radiographs were graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) grading system., Results: African Americans and Whites were comparable with respect to age (65 +/- 9.5 vs 66 +/- 9, respectively); body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2 (53.9% vs 58.8%); Lequesne severity score (11 +/- 4 vs 11 +/- 4); geriatric depression score (4.5 +/- 3.3 vs 5.0 +/- 3.8) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (2.3 +/- 2 vs 2.5 +/- 2). African Americans had lower socioeconomic status with fewer high school graduates (57% vs 71%, p = 0.001), lower employment rate (8.4% vs 14.7%, p = 0.017), and lower total household incomes (41.4% vs 20.4% reported income < $10,000, p = 0.000). African Americans and Whites were not different in mean scores for WOMAC pain and WOMAC function when stratified by joint space narrowing, osteophyte and Kellgren Lawrence grades. After controlling for important covariates, ethnicity was not a significant predictor of WOMAC pain and function., Conclusion: In this sample of male veterans, African Americans and Whites perceived the same degree of pain and functional difficulties at any given radiographic severity of OA. Differences in the perception of symptoms cannot explain the observed ethnic disparity in utilization of joint replacement.

Background: There is marked ethnic or racial disparity in the utilization of joint replacement for osteoarthritis. The reasons are not known. Pain is the reason most patients with osteoarthritis seek care. Cultural and psychosocial factors influence how patients experience and express pain. We examined whether patient descriptions of chronic pain vary by ethnicity and if they correlate with important clinical measures used in arthritis care., Methods: Sample consisted of 300 male veterans who were > or =50 years of age with moderate to severe symptomatic knee or hip osteoarthritis. Structured surveys were used to assess patient descriptions of pain and to collect important demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables. Factor analysis was used to assess patterns of pain description in a comparison of African-American and Caucasian patients. Pearson correlations were used to examine relationships between pain descriptions and clinical variables., Results: The two groups were similar with respect to age and other baseline clinical characteristics. A confirmatory factor analysis on quality of pain description showed that a four-factor model converged for Caucasian patients (chi square = 39.6, comparative fit index = 0.95, Tucker Lewis index = 0.93, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.047), but a three-factor model was supported by the data for African-American patients (chi square= 25.4, comparative fit index = 1.00, Tucker Lewis index = 1.05, and root mean square error of approximation < or = 0.001). Chronic pain quality descriptions correlate significantly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index scores but not with radiologic stage of disease., Conclusions: African-American and Caucasian elderly patients with chronic knee or hip symptomatic osteoarthritis describe the quality of their pain differently. Patient descriptions of quality of chronic knee or hip pain do not correlate with radiologic stage of disease.

Objective: To compare elderly African American and white patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip with respect to their perceptions of the efficacy of traditional and complementary treatments and their self-care practices., Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study design using structured questionnaires was employed., Results: The sample consisted of 593 patients (44% African American and 56% white). The 2 groups were comparable with respect to age, disease severity or functional status, and comorbidities. African Americans were more likely than whites to report lower educational level and household income. African Americans were also more likely than whites to perceive various traditional and complementary care modalities as efficacious. However, they were less likely than whites to perceive joint replacement therapy as efficacious (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.98). African American patients were more likely than white patients to rely on self-care measures for their arthritis., Conclusion: African American and white patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip differ with respect to their perceptions of traditional and complementary treatments for arthritis and their self-care practices.