Table 4 Strategies recommended to improve access to OA care

Patient

Offered to persons with OA to improve knowledge, confidence, behaviour, OA symptoms, OA status, or quality of life

Translated versions of educational materials

2 (14.2)

[33,34,35, 42]

Healthcare organizations/professionals] should work with community organizations to leverage expertise in languages spoken most frequently in a specific region, and translate existing educational resources on osteoarthritis into these languages [33–35 p12]

Self-management programs

2 (14.2)

[33,34,35, 39]

Target underserved populations (e.g., ethnic minorities, indigenous communities, rural residents, older people, and people with low income or lower education that tend to have lower participation in programs) through: (1) working in partnership with community health workers, elders, or existing multicultural services to develop culturally appropriate program materials in terms of language and traditional beliefs about health, (2) removing practical barriers to participation by offering phone-based interventions, (3) training lay health workers from underserved communities to deliver self-management support, and (4) delivering programs online, but also considering that people with financial or literacy challenges may not have access to a web-enabled device or be comfortable using it [39 p15]

Clinician

Offered to healthcare professionals to improve knowledge, confidence, behaviour, or how they provide OA care (e.g., skills)

Education (curriculum of healthcare professionals)

1 (7.1)

[40]

Government, professional colleges and regulatory agencies, and arthritis stakeholders must focus their efforts and collaborate on the following strategies…Incorporate arthritis-related curriculum into post-graduate and specialty programs that address the needs of vulnerable groups [40 p19]

System

Developed and/or offered by health systems or government to improve access to OA care, advice and support

Evaluate the equity of programs or services in healthcare organizations

1 (7.1)

[33,34,35]

Health Equity Impact Assessments should be employed [in healthcare organizations] to reduce health disparities between population groups [33–35 p5]

Train and mobilize lay health leaders

2 (14.3)

[33,34,35, 39]

Target underserved populations (e.g., ethnic minorities, indigenous communities, rural residents, older people, and people with low income or lower education that tend to have lower participation in programs) through…training lay health workers from underserved communities to deliver self-management support [33–35 p46]

Enhance accessibility of self-management programs via telephone and Internet

1 (7.1)

[39]

Target underserved populations (e.g., ethnic minorities, indigenous communities, rural residents, older people, and people with low income or lower education that tend to have lower participation in programs) through: (1) working in partnership with community health workers, elders, or existing multicultural services to develop culturally appropriate program materials in terms of language and traditional beliefs about health, (2) removing practical barriers to participation by offering phone-based interventions, (3) training lay health workers from underserved communities to deliver self-management support, and (4) delivering programs online, but also considering that people with financial or literacy challenges may not have access to a web-enabled device or be comfortable using it [39 p15]