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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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