Self-Management Behaviors in Patients with Hip Osteoarthritis

Background: Hip osteoarthritis (HOA) causes joint destruction, resulting in hip pain, limited range-of-motion, claudication, and joint deformity. In the conservative treatment of HOA, self-management is important to manage symptoms and control disease progression. In a previous study, the researchers conducted a conceptual analysis of 43 foreign studies on self-management during conservative therapy for patients with HOA. The results revealed a definition of self-management during conservative therapy for patients with HOA. However, because that study analyzed only the foreign literature, it remains unclear whether the findings reflect the characteristics of the Japanese health-care delivery system, health-care insurance system, or the lifestyles and cultural characteristics of Japanese patients with HOA. Objective: We aimed to clarify the self-management behaviors of patients with HOA. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five patients diagnosed with HOA, and the results were subjected to inductive qualitative analysis. Results: Six categories of self-management behaviors were extracted for patients with HOA: [active information gathering about HOA], [personalized pain and weight management, and strategies for reducing hip joint load], [reflection on living conditions with individuals and professionals, and determination for future efforts], [continuation of exercise and weight management based on personal strengths and achievements, and mutual support with others], [coexistence with HOA while managing negative feelings], and [choosing treatment methods by trusting doctors while struggling with personal needs]. Conclusion: These findings suggest the need to develop health guidance and educational programs for patients with HOA that focus on how to prevent disease progression and cope with symptoms.