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

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).