A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Perceptions of foot health services from the perspective of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Finland
Authors: Stolt Minna, Hyytiä Sasu, Suhonen Riitta
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Journal of Foot and Ankle Research
Journal name in source: Journal of foot and ankle research
Journal acronym: J Foot Ankle Res
Article number: e12004
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1757-1146
eISSN: 1757-1146
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jfa2.12004
Web address : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jfa2.12004
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/387551266
Background
Foot health services for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are an important part of their comprehensive care. However, little is known about the perceptions of people with RA have about foot health services. This study aimed to explore how people with RA perceive foot health services.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was applied. The electronic survey data were collected in April 2023 from people with RA through a national patients' association (N = 2400, response rate 24%, n = 565). The statistical data were analysed using descriptive statistics and textual data with thematic analysis.
Results
Most of the respondents (n = 322, 59%) had used foot health services provided by chiropodist or podiatrist. Those who had used services were mostly satisfied but considered patient education about foot health insufficient. One third reported no visits to foot health services at all because of personal and health service system-related factors.
Conclusions
Those people with RA who have access to foot health services value and appreciate the services. However, many people with RA do not use foot health services because they perceive availability of such services limited and thus unequal and hard to access. There is a need to develop foot health services for people with RA so that they are easy to access, correspond to their foot health needs and have seamless care paths at different levels of the health care system.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |