21 / 21
Page 86
conferenceseries
.com
Volume 7, Issue 5 (Suppl)
J Palliat Care Med, an open access journal
ISSN: 2165-7386
Geriatrics 2017
September 4-5, 2017
September 4-5, 2017 | Edinburgh, Scotland
Geriatrics Gerontology & Palliative Nursing
7
th
International Conference on
DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF OLDER ADULTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
ABOUT RECEIVING PHYSICIAN-RECOMMENDED TOTALKNEE ARTHROPLASTY
Yun-Fang Tsai
a
, Kuo-Yao Hsu
b
, Wen-Ling Yeh
b
, Dave Weichih Chen
a
and
Ching-Yen Chen
a
a
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Taiwan
b
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taiwan
Statement of the Problem:
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting mostly older adults. Among
all OA sites, knees are most commonly affected. For OA patients with joint symptoms that substantially impact their quality
of life and are refractory to non-surgical treatment, joint-replacement surgery should be considered. However, older people
with severe knee OA commonly refuse total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It is unclear how older OA patients in Taiwan decide
the surgery. The purpose of this study was to explore the decision making process regarding joint-replacement surgery among
older people with OA.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation:
A qualitative research design was used. Orthopedic outpatients were included in
the study if they met the following criteria:
1) diagnosed with knee OA and recommended by their physicians to undergo knee joint-replacement surgery, 2) 60 years old,
and 3) able to communicate. Participants were recruited by convenience from two medical centers and one regional hospital
in northern Taiwan. Data were collected in individual interviews using a semi-structured guide and analyzed by thematic
analysis. Finding: Participants’ core concerns (N=79) were related to OA pain and walking ability. If they felt OA pain was
bearable and they still could walk, they would try to delay TKA. Despite other factors (e.g., surgery-related concerns, physical
condition-related concerns, relatives’ or friends’ negative TKA experiences) playing a role in decision making, older patients’
final decision relied mainly on their OA pain and walking ability.
Conclusion & Significance:
These findings highlight the importance of relieving OA pain and enhancing physical function
among older people with severe knee OA.
J Palliat Care Med 2017, 7:5(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2165-7386-C1-012