Remote osteoarthritis peer-mentorship for socioeconomically underserved people

This project will develop and evaluate a remote peer-mentorship programme for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. It is funded in partnership with Versus Arthritis as part of our Oliver Bird Fund.

Why this project is important

Hip and knee osteoarthritis is a common joint condition which may cause high levels of pain, social isolation, mental health problems, and difficulty with daily activities.

It mainly affects older people and is more common among people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. This is partly because of factors such as poorer general health, reduced access and uptake of health services and digital exclusion.

People experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to require additional support to adopt lifestyle changes that can mitigate the negative impacts of osteoarthritis.  

The research team previously developed and evaluated a programme that trained volunteers with osteoarthritis to act as ‘peer mentors’, providing in-person support to others. The intervention was found to be effective. However, the study was limited as participants were older, white, and well-educated females who had already received some self-management support.  

Approach

This project will be developing and evaluating a remote peer-mentorship programme aimed at supporting people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, with the goal of informing a future randomised controlled trial. The research will be completed in three phases: 

1. Phase one will involve group discussions with people with OA who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage to explore factors affecting self-management, information and support needs, and potential barriers and enablers to engagement with the programme. Subsequent thematic analysis of the discussions will allow the research team to host two public engagement activities to finalise the intervention design.  

2. During phase two, 10 peer mentors will be recruited and trained to deliver the peer-mentorship support programme to 30 mentees. They will deliver, in person or remotely, six support sessions over six-eight weeks, including exercises and educational resources.  

3. Phase three will focus on evaluating the programme via a mixed methods process. Using questionnaires completed at the start of the programme, completed session summaries, and interviews at the end of the programme and six months later, the research team will evaluate the intervention’s acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, and fidelity.  

Outcomes

The research team will produce a freely accessible report and work with community representatives and PPI members to produce an accessible summary and infographic. The findings will inform the development of a definitive randomised controlled trial to determine the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.