Exploring the Information Needs of People With Elbow Osteoarthritis Seeking Healthcare: A Qualitative Interview Study.

Objective: To explore the information needs of people with elbow osteoarthritis.

Design: Qualitative interview study using reflexive thematic analysis.

Setting: A single National Health Service Teaching Hospital Trust and associated primary care services, providing musculoskeletal care across the clinical pathway. Interviews were conducted in person, by phone or video call according to participant preference.

Participants: Twelve adults with clinically diagnosed elbow osteoarthritis, under the care of a general practitioner or consultant elbow surgeon, were included.

Results: Four themes were developed: (1) self-management in action, (2) experience of treatment options and navigating surgical decision making, (3) negotiating uncertainty and (4) active information seeking. Participants experiences were wide ranging and their varied information needs were at times unmet, particularly when related to treatment options, prognosis and surgical decision making. Across the clinical pathway, information was reported by some to be unclear or contradictory. Participants discussed a range of preferences for information sources. Accessing information was challenging for some participants and various barriers were discussed.

Conclusions: This is the first study to report the lived experience of people with elbow osteoarthritis and their information needs. For some, accessing information can be challenging, and the unmet information needs can affect the ability to self-manage ongoing symptoms and participate in treatment decisions. These findings provide a platform for the development of accessible, meaningful and culturally sensitive information sources capable of contributing to optimal treatment pathways.