Satisfaction with Medications Prescribed for Osteoarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Patients and Their Physicians in the United States

Abstract

Introduction: Satisfaction with medications prescribed for osteoarthritis (OA) varies; this study aimed to determine the factors associated with satisfaction in US patients and their physicians.

Methods: This point-in-time study used the Adelphi OA Disease Specific Programme (physicians identified from public lists reported on nine consecutive patients diagnosed with OA [any joint]: physicians and patients completed questionnaires). Patient's demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics associated with patient-reported and physician-rated overall satisfaction with, and expectations of effectiveness of, medication for OA were assessed using multivariate linear regression.

Results: Responses from 572 patients (mean age 64.9 years, 60.5% female) currently prescribed medication for OA and 153 physicians (81 primary care, 35 rheumatologists, 37 orthopedic surgeons) were analyzed. Pain intensity was moderate or severe for 59.4% of patients. Greater patient-reported overall satisfaction with medication was significantly associated with (standardized beta, 95% confidence interval) exercise (0.12, 0.03-0.20), comorbid other musculoskeletal or painful conditions (vs none) (0.15, 0.06-0.24), and physicians' report that the best control had been achieved (0.12, 0.03-0.20); lack of efficacy was among factors associated with worse satisfaction. Greater patient-reported expectation of effectiveness was significantly associated with exercise (0.12, 0.03-0.21) and the most troublesome joint not being a knee, hip, or their back (0.08, 0.01-0.14). Greater physician-rated overall satisfaction with medication was significantly associated with their report that the best control had been achieved (0.18, 0.11-0.26), the most troublesome joint being a knee (0.08, 0.01-0.14), comorbid other musculoskeletal or painful conditions (0.07, 0.01-0.12), obesity (0.06, 0.00-0.11), and female patients (0.06, 0.00-0.11); lack of efficacy and adverse events/tolerability issues were among factors associated with worse satisfaction. For physicians, their report that the best control had been achieved (0.19, 0.11-0.27), the most troublesome joint being a knee (0.08, 0.00-0.15), improving (vs stable) OA (0.15, 0.07-0.24), and uncertain duration of OA (0.11, 0.02-0.21) were associated with greater perception that the medication was meeting patients' efficacy expectations.

Conclusion: Although efficacy was strongly associated with both patients' and physicians' satisfaction with medication, other factors were also important, including exercise (for patients), tolerability (for physicians), and knee OA (for physicians).

Keywords: Analgesics; Patient satisfaction; Prescription analgesic medication; Real-world clinical practice; Treatment satisfaction.

© 2022. The Author(s).

Figures

Fig. 1

Patient-reported a overall satisfaction witha, and b expectations of effectiveness ofb, currently prescribed medication for OA. a Patients were asked “Which of the following options best describes your overall satisfaction with the prescribed medicine(s) for your osteoarthritis?” (options: very satisfied, 1; somewhat satisfied, 2; neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 3; somewhat dissatisfied, 4; very dissatisfied, 5). Sample size: n = 572. b Patients were asked “How is your current medicine(s) meeting your level of expectation in relation to how effective it is for your OA?” (options: it is a great deal more effective than I expected, 1; it is more effective than I expected, 2; it matches my expectations, 3; it is less effective than I expected, 4; it is much less effective than I expected, 5). Sample size: n = 557. OA osteoarthritis

Fig. 2

Patient-reported satisfaction with attributes of currently prescribed medication for OA. Patients rated their satisfaction with different attributes of medications from 1 to 5 (extremely dissatisfied, 1; somewhat dissatisfied, 2; neither dissatisfied nor satisfied, 3; somewhat satisfied, 4; extremely satisfied, 5), in response to “How satisfied are you with your prescribed medicine(s) in relation to…”: provides short-term pain relief (sample size for this response, n = 552), provides long lasting pain relief (n = 554), eases your pain quickly (n = 554), helps keep you mobile and active (n = 550), allows you to return to your usual activities (n = 552), helps maintain your independence (n = 552), the side effects of the medicine (n = 551), has clear and simple instructions (n = 549), is convenient to take in terms of fitting into your schedule (n = 551), is easy to remember to take (n = 551), the cost of my medicine (n = 552). OA osteoarthritis

Fig. 3

Physician-rated a overall satisfaction with currently prescribed medication for OAa and b views of how the currently prescribed medication for OA is meeting the patient’s expectation of efficacyb. a Physicians were asked “Which of the following statements best describes your satisfaction with the patient’s prescribed therapy (to treat their OA pain)?” (options: very satisfied, 1; somewhat satisfied, 2; neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 3; somewhat dissatisfied, 4; very dissatisfied, 5). Sample size: physician ratings for 572 patients. b Physicians were asked “How do you believe the current drug therapy regimen meets the patient’s own expectations in relation to efficacy achieved?” (options: greatly exceeds expectations, 1; exceeds expectations, 2; matches expectations, 3; less than expected, 4; much less than expected, 5). Sample size: physician ratings for 572 patients. OA osteoarthritis