Barriers to Use of the Term Osteoarthritis and the Discussion of Osteoarthritis Identified in This Study
| The predominance of the societal construct of OA that suggests it is part of normal life/aging process |
| Omission of OA in the UK government-led quality of care initiative |
| Limited or uneven access to treatment resources such as physical therapy |
| Lack of knowledge about the prognosis of OA |
| Lack of clear language for positive diagnosis and explanation of OA |
| Inconsistent interpretation of language in radiology reports |
| Concern that diagnosis may result in harm or adoption of “sick role” |
OA = Osteoarthritis; UK = United Kingdom