Public perceptions of meniscus tears: Evaluating knowledge gaps and the role of education

Q2 Medicine

Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jcot.2024.102853

Beshoy A. William , Claudia Davidson , Eric N. Bowman

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Meniscus tears are common, occurring acutely during sports or as degenerative tears with aging. Limited information exists about the public’s understanding of these injuries and their management.

Hypothesis/Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the public’s baseline understanding of meniscus tear management and assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve their understanding.

Study design

Level III, Cross-Sectional Study.

Methods

A 33-question survey on meniscus anatomy, injury risk, diagnosis, treatment, and surgical expectations was distributed online to adults aged 18+ over 5 months from the beginning of July. An educational video and handout were provided to improve baseline knowledge. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, McNemar’s test, and a paired t-test to measure pre- and post-intervention changes.

Results

Baseline surveys from 245 participants showed 66.9% were women, 69.4% were aged 18–29, and 63.7% were white. 46.1% held a bachelor’s degree, and 90.2% had limited knowledge of meniscus tears. 76% believed surgery was necessary, 84% thought degenerative tears were repairable, and 65% didn’t understand the link to osteoarthritis. Most expected over 3 months for recovery. Higher scores were associated with male gender, healthcare experience, and prior knowledge (p < 0.05). Post-intervention, correct responses rose from 45.3% to 75% (p < 0.001) among 118 participants.

Conclusion

Significant misconceptions about meniscus tears were identified. An educational intervention notably improved knowledge of meniscus anatomy, its link to osteoarthritis, and treatment options. This underscores the importance of education in aligning patient expectations with current medical practices to enhance care quality.

查看原文本刊更多论文

公众对半月板撕裂的看法：评估知识差距和教育的作用。

背景：半月板撕裂是常见的，发生在运动中急性或退行性撕裂随着年龄的增长。关于公众对这些伤害及其管理的理解信息有限。假设/目的：本研究旨在评估公众对半月板撕裂管理的基本认识，并评估教育干预的有效性，以提高他们的认识。研究设计：III级，横断面研究。方法：从7月初开始，对18岁以上5个月以上的成人进行半月板解剖、损伤风险、诊断、治疗和手术期望等33个问题的在线调查。提供了教育录像和讲义，以提高基线知识。数据分析包括描述性统计、方差分析、McNemar检验和配对t检验来衡量干预前后的变化。结果：245名参与者的基线调查显示，66.9%为女性，69.4%为18-29岁，63.7%为白人。46.1%的人拥有学士学位，90.2%的人对半月板撕裂的知识有限。76%的人认为手术是必要的，84%的人认为退行性撕裂是可以修复的，65%的人不明白这与骨关节炎的联系。大多数人预计3个月后才能恢复。较高的得分与男性性别、医疗保健经验和先前知识相关(p结论：发现了对半月板撕裂的显著误解。教育干预显著提高了半月板解剖学知识、半月板与骨关节炎的关系以及治疗方案。这强调了教育在使患者期望与当前医疗实践相一致以提高护理质量方面的重要性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma Medicine-Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

0.00%

发文量

181

审稿时长

92 days

期刊介绍： Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma (JCOT) aims to provide its readers with the latest clinical and basic research, and informed opinions that shape today''s orthopedic practice, thereby providing an opportunity to practice evidence-based medicine. With contributions from leading clinicians and researchers around the world, we aim to be the premier journal providing an international perspective advancing knowledge of the musculoskeletal system. JCOT publishes content of value to both general orthopedic practitioners and specialists on all aspects of musculoskeletal research, diagnoses, and treatment. We accept following types of articles: • Original articles focusing on current clinical issues. • Review articles with learning value for professionals as well as students. • Research articles providing the latest in basic biological or engineering research on musculoskeletal diseases. • Regular columns by experts discussing issues affecting the field of orthopedics. • "Symposia" devoted to a single topic offering the general reader an overview of a field, but providing the specialist current in-depth information. • Video of any orthopedic surgery which is innovative and adds to present concepts. • Articles emphasizing or demonstrating a new clinical sign in the art of patient examination is also considered for publication. Contributions from anywhere in the world are welcome and considered on their merits.