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Table 3 Uptake of the recommended NICE core non-pharmacological and first line pharmacological treatments (N = 4059)

From: Uptake of the NICE osteoarthritis guidelines in primary care: a survey of older adults with joint pain

Characteristic aWritten information Muscle strengthening/ aerobic fitness exercise bDieting to lose weight Paracetamol Topical NSAIDs
n (%) AOR (95% CI) n (%) AOR (95% CI) n (%) AOR (95% CI) n (%) AOR (95% CI) n (%) AOR (95% CI)
Total 934   618   261   1270   1055  
Gender
 Male 353 (20.1) 1 244 (13.9) 1 92 (7.1) 1 511 (29.1) 1 424 (24.1) 1
 Female 581 (25.3) 1.28×× (1.09, 1.50) 374 (16.3) 1.12 (0.93, 1.35) 169 (11.5) 1.54×× (1.16, 2.04) 759 (33.0) 1.09 (0.94, 1.27) 631 (27.4) 1.13 (0.97, 1.32)
Age group (years)
 45–54 190 (24.7) 1 133 (17.3) 1 37 (7.1) 1 149 (19.4) 1 150 (19.5) 1
 55–64 298 (26.2) 1.02 (0.80, 1.29) 192 (16.9) 0.78 (0.60, 1.03) 90 (10.9) 1.52 (0.97, 2.36) 283 (25.0) 1.12 (0.87, 1.45) 243 (21.4) 0.96 (0.74, 1.24)
 65–74 267 (21.8) 0.76 (0.56, 1.03) 183 (14.9) 0.55×× (0.38, 0.78) 99 (11.4) 1.64 (0.94, 2.86) 395 (32.2) 1.29 (0.94, 1.76) 341 (27.8) 1.20 (0.88, 1.64)
  ≥ 75 179 (19.3) 0.56×× (0.40, 0.79) 110 (11.9) 0.37××× (0.25, 0.55) 35 (6.4) 0.74 (0.39, 1.40) 443 (47.7) 1.91××× (1.38, 2.65) 321 (34.6) 1.32 (0.94, 1.84)
Employment status
 Employed 277 (25.1) 1 171 (15.5) 1 56 (7.1) 1 203 (18.4) 1 197 (17.8) 1
 Unemployed 143 (24.0) 0.74× (0.58, 0.98) 102 (17.1) 1.03 (0.77, 1.38) 49 (12.8) 1.06 (0.67, 1.66) 195 (32.7) 1.16 (0.90, 1.51) 157 (26.3) 1.17 (0.90, 1.52)
 Retired 494 (21.9) 0.91 (0.71, 1.18) 327 (14.5) 1.17 (0.87, 1.58) 149 (9.7) 0.92 (0.58, 1.45) 841 (37.3) 1.15 (0.89, 1.50) 667 (29.6) 1.12 (0.86, 1.46)
No. of pain sites
 Single site 116 (14.9) 1 106 (13.6) 1 31 (6.4) 1 180 (23.2) 1 151 (19.4) 1
 Multi-site 818 (24.9) 1.59××× (1.26, 2.00) 512 (15.6) 0.98 (0.77, 1.26) 230 (10.1) 1.08 (0.70, 1.68) 1090 (33.2) 1.10 (0.88, 1.35) 904 (27.5) 1.15 (0.93, 1.43)
Morbidity burden (BNF drug count)
  < 10 counts 501 (22.5) 1 294 (13.2) 1 87 (5.9) 1 451 (20.3) 1 419 (18.9) 1
  ≥ 10 counts 433 (23.6) 0.91 (0.75, 1.08) 324 (17.6) 1.44×× (1.16, 1.77) 174 (13.5) 1.87××× (1.37, 2.57) 819 (44.6) 1.88×××(1.60, 2.23) 636 (34.6) 1.61××× (1.35, 1.91)
BMI (Kg/m2)
 Not overweight (< 25.0) 253 (21.8) 1 170 (14.6) 1 n/a n/a 343 (29.5) 1 287 (24.7) 1
 Overweight (25.0–29.9) 355 (22.4) 1.01 (0.83, 1.23) 246 (15.5) 1.02 (0.82, 1.27) 84 (5.3) 1 482 (30.4) 1.05 (0.87, 1.27) 420 (26.5) 1.12 (0.93, 1.35)
 Obese (≥30.0) 295 (24.9) 0.96 (0.78, 1.18) 180 (15.2) 0.80 (0.63, 1.02) 177 (15.0) 2.48××× (1.85, 3.32) 388 (32.8) 0.95 (0.78, 1.16) 311 (26.3) 0.91 (0.74, 1.12)
SF12 – Physical health (Quartile)
 Worst to 27.58 273 (27.7) 2.13××× (1.63, 2.77) 168 (17.0) 1.64×× (1.20, 2.24) 102 (14.2) 1.44 (0.89, 2.32) 467 (47.4) 2.64××× (2.04, 3.41) 344 (34.9) 1.67 × × × (1.28, 2.16)
 27.59–38.36 249 (25.4) 1.76××× (1.38, 2.25) 167 (17.0) 1.67 ×××(1.26, 2.23) 75 (11.0) 1.29 (0.81, 2.05) 361 (36.8) 2.24××× (1.75, 2.87) 290 (29.6) 1.60 × × × (1.25, 2.04)
 38.37–48.26 231 (23.1) 1.53××× (1.21, 1.93) 155 (15.5) 1.47×× (1.12, 1.93) 42 (6.2) 0.86 (0.53, 1.40) 261 (26.1) 1.70××× (1.33, 2.16) 225 (22.5) 1.26 (0.99, 1.61)
 48.27–71.88 166 (16.9) 1 115 (11.7) 1 34 (5.5) 1 139 (14.1) 1 156 (15.8) 1
SF12 – Mental health (Quartile)
 Worst to 39.93 275 (28.5) 1.42×× (1.12, 1.78) 176 (18.2) 1.11 (0.85, 1.44) 100 (14.0) 1.90×× (1.26, 2.84) 404 (41.9) 1.59××× (1.28, 1.97) 314 (32.5) 1.51××× (1.21, 1.89)
 39.94–49.55 231 (23.5) 1.18 (0.95, 1.48) 140 (14.3) 0.97 (0.75, 1.26) 68 (10.6) 1.64×(1.08, 2.48) 337 (34.3) 1.34×× (1.08, 1.65) 290 (29.5) 1.48××× (1.18, 1.84)
 49.56–57.11 207 (21.4) 1.14 (0.91, 1.43) 144 (14.9) 1.04 (0.80, 1.35) 43 (6.9) 1.10 (0.70, 1.74) 233 (24.1) 1.04 (0.84, 1.30) 203 (21.0) 1.09 (0.87, 1.37)
 57.12 to 74.46 206 (19.8) 1 145 (14.0) 1 42 (5.8) 1 254 (24.5) 1 208 (20.0) 1
OA diagnosis
 Yes 146 (29.1) 1.57××× (1.26, 1.96) 88 (17.5) 1.31× (1.00, 1.70) 31 (8.9) 0.79 (0.52, 1.21) 203 (40.4) 1.30× (1.05, 1.62) 166 (33.1) 1.30× (1.04, 1.62)
 No 788 (22.2) 1 530 (14.9) 1 230 (9.5) 1 1067 (30.0) 1 889 (25.0) 1
  1. n is the number of participants who used core treatments out of 4059 eligible respondents. Number in the subcategories do not always sum to the total number of who used treatment due to missing data. % figures represent valid percent (i.e. excluding missing data)
  2. AOR adjusted odds ratio
  3. aWritten information is a composite variable derived from the addition of responses of participants who used information about treatments, information about self-management and information about OA when they consulted with joint pain; bRestricted to obese/overweight participants. n = 3742 in final multivariable analysis
  4. ×p < 0.05, ××p < 0.01, ×××p < 0.001
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

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