Health literacy of rheumatology patients in three clinics in Australia and its association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Objectives: To describe and compare health literacy (HL) using contrasting instruments of Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) in patients attending three Australian rheumatology clinics and their associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of rheumatology patients at Liverpool (Sydney) and Canberra public hospital clinics and a private Liverpool clinic using the REALM test and HLQ sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires. One-way analysis of variance and multivariate ordinal and binary logistic regressions were used to examine the association between HL and sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Patients' experiences of subacute pain management following total hip or knee arthroplasty: A qualitative study.

Background: Total hip and knee arthroplasties are common surgeries performed worldwide, but the management of pain during the subacute period (defined as hospital discharge to 3 months postoperatively) is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine patients' experiences, facilitators and barriers to subacute pain management following total hip or knee arthroplasty.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of patients following total hip or knee arthroplasty were conducted between June and August 2022.

Safer medicines To reduce falls and refractures for OsteoPorosis (#STOP): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of medical specialist-initiated pharmacist-led medication management reviews in primary care.

Introduction: Minimal trauma fractures (MTFs) often occur in older patients with osteoporosis and may be precipitated by falls risk-increasing drugs. One category of falls risk-increasing drugs of concern are those with sedative/anticholinergic properties. Collaborative medication management services such as Australia's Home Medicine Review (HMR) can reduce patients' intake of sedative/anticholinergics and improve continuity of care.

RheuMetric Quantitative 0 to 10 Physician Estimates of Inflammation, Damage, and Distress in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Validation Against Reference Measures.

Objective: To analyze a RheuMetric checklist, which includes four feasible physician 0 to 10 scores for DOCGL, inflammation (DOCINF), damage (DOCDAM), and distress (DOCSTR) for criterion and discriminant validity against standard reference measures.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional assessment was performed at one routine care visit at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Rheumatologists recorded DOCGL, DOCINF, DOCDAM, DOCSTR, and 28 joint counts for swelling (SJC), tenderness (TJC), and limited motion/deformity (DJC).

Screening for Anxiety in Patients With Inflammatory Arthritis Using the Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire.

Objective: To analyze the Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) in screening for anxiety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), compared to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as the reference standard.

Methods: Patients with a physician diagnosis of RA or PsA were invited to complete the MDHAQ and HADS at their routine rheumatology clinic visit. Sensitivity, specificity, percent agreement, and [Formula: see text] statistics were used to evaluate agreement between 2 MDHAQ items for anxiety and HADS subscale for Anxiety (HADS-A) score of ≥ 8.

The feasibility of implementing a cultural mentoring program alongside pain management and physical rehabilitation for chronic musculoskeletal conditions: results of a controlled before-and-after pilot study.

Background: Culturally diverse communities face barriers managing chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions including navigation challenges, sub-optimal healthcare provider engagement and difficulty adopting self-management behaviours.

Objectives: To explore the feasibility and trends of effectiveness of implementing a cultural mentoring program alongside clinical service delivery.

Methods: This quasi-experimental controlled before-and-after multiple case study was conducted in three hospital-based services that provide treatment for patients with musculoskeletal pain.

Effectiveness of Pharmacological-Based Interventions, Including Education and Prescribing Strategies, to Reduce Subacute Pain After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgeries are among the most common elective procedures. Moderate to severe postoperative pain during the subacute period (defined here as the period from hospital discharge to 3 months postoperatively) is a predictor of persistent pain 12 months postoperatively. This review aimed to examine the available postdischarge pharmacological interventions, including educational and prescribing strategies, and their effect on reducing pain during the subacute period after TKA or THA.

Preferences for Biologic Treatment in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Objective: We aimed to assess patient preferences for the characteristics and outcomes of biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to manage psoriatic arthritis.

Methods: We conducted a discrete choice experiment in patients with psoriatic arthritis from 3 rheumatology centers in Sydney, Australia. We assessed preferences for different attributes of biologic medications.

Patients' Perspectives on Shared Decision-Making About Medications in Psoriatic Arthritis: An Interview Study.

Objective: Decision-making regarding medications to manage psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is complex because of multiple disease manifestations and comorbidities. Fear of side effects from systemic medications and misalignment in priorities between patients with PsA and rheumatologists makes shared decision-making challenging. We aimed to describe the perspectives of patients with PsA on shared decision-making regarding medication taking.

Patient and parent perspectives on transition from paediatric to adult healthcare in rheumatic diseases: an interview study.

Objectives: To describe the experiences, priorities, and needs of patients with rheumatic disease and their parents during transition from paediatric to adult healthcare.

Setting: Face-to-face and telephone semistructured interviews were conducted from December 2018 to September 2019 recruited from five hospital centres in Australia.

Participants: Fourteen young people and 16 parents were interviewed.

A practical guide to interpreting and applying systematic reviews of qualitative studies in rheumatology.

While patient-centered care is widely advocated in the management of rheumatic diseases, it can be challenging to implement, particularly for patients with complex systemic conditions. Patient-centered care involves identifying and integrating the patient's experiences, attitudes, and preferences in decision-making. Qualitative research is used to describe patient perspectives and priorities that may not always be expressed in clinical settings.

Clinicians' perspectives of shared care of psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis between rheumatology and dermatology: an interview study.

Objective: Shared care between rheumatologists and dermatologists is advocated for patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, but care provided by rheumatologists and dermatologists is often siloed, leading to inconsistencies in patient care and outcomes. This study aimed to describe rheumatologists' and dermatologists' perspectives on shared care.

Methods: Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 rheumatologists and 12 dermatologists across 27 centers in Australia.

Establishing baseline absolute risk of subsequent fracture among adults presenting to hospital with a minimal-trauma-fracture.

Background: One in three women and one in five men are expected to experience a minimal-trauma-fracture after the age of 50-years, which increases the risk of subsequent fracture. Importantly, timely diagnosis and optimal treatment in the form of a fracture liaison service (FLS), has been shown to reduce this risk of a subsequent fracture. However, baseline risk of subsequent fracture among this group of FLS patients has not been well described.

Patient and Caregiver Priorities for Medication Adherence in Gout, Osteoporosis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Nominal Group Technique.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and prioritize factors important to patients and caregivers with regard to medication adherence in gout, osteoporosis (OP), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to describe the reasons for their decisions.

Methods: Patients with gout, OP, and RA and their caregivers, purposively sampled from 5 rheumatology clinics in Australia, identified and ranked factors that they considered important for medication adherence using nominal group technique and discussed their decisions. An importance score (IS; scale 0-1) was calculated, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically.

Scope and Consistency of Outcomes Reported in Trials of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective: The core outcome set for trials in systemic sclerosis (SSc) was developed in 2008 and comprises 11 domains and 31 measures, leading to the development of the Combined Response Index in Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (CRISS). We aimed to assess the scope and consistency of outcomes reported in trials of SSc and the uptake of this core set and the CRISS.

Methods: Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.

Patients' Perspectives and Experience of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.

Objective: To describe the range and depth of perspectives and experiences of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis to inform gaps in patient-centered care.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL to April 2018. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze the findings.

Addressing Challenges in Developing a Core Domain Set in Adherence Interventions in Rheumatology: A Report from the OMERACT-Adherence Group.

Objective: The OMERACT-Adherence meeting was convened to discuss the conceptual and methodological challenges in developing a core domain set (Adherence-CDS) for trials of interventions for medication adherence in rheumatology.

Methods: Forty participants from nine countries participated.

Results: Four ideas emerged: for adherence trials, the Adherence-CDS could include adherence and the condition-specific CDS; many factors affect adherence and are intervention targets, contextual factors, or outcome domains; adherence is a critical factor in drug trials; and standardized adherence measures are needed.

Improved management of acute gout during hospitalization following introduction of a protocol.

Aim: To determine whether implementation of a protocol to manage in-hospital acute gout has improved the care of patients by non-rheumatologists.

Method: Two systematic case-file reviews were performed to determine the management of acute gout in all episodes occurring in hospitalized patients before (April 2005-December 2006) and after (November 2008-September 2009) introduction of a protocol for acute gout management in a tertiary referral hospital. The protocol targeted non-rheumatologists with primary intentions to continue baseline anti-gout medications on admission, prevent inappropriate prescriptions of colchicine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and allopurinol in the hospital, encourage invitations for assistance by rheumatology, and promote combination therapy in cases of severe gout.

Radiographic progression of lumbar spine disc degeneration is influenced by variation at inflammatory genes: a candidate SNP association study in the Chingford cohort.

Study Design: A candidate gene association study in a longitudinal cohort.

Objective: To investigate the association between polymorphisms at 25 candidate genes and progression of individual radiographic features of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD).

Summary Of Background Data: LDD is characterized radiographically by the presence of osteophytes and disc space narrowing and is known to have a genetic component.