Exploring the feasibility, acceptability and value of volunteer peer mentors in supporting self-management of osteoarthritis: a qualitative evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) affect a large and growing proportion of the population. Treatment options are typically conservative making self-management a priority. Using trained peers to support individuals with OA has potential to improve self-management. PURPOSE: To explore the process of engaging and training volunteers to become peer mentors; and to qualitatively evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and value of being a peer mentor to support others' self-management of OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative evaluation of a peer mentorship support intervention reporting the processes of recruitment and training; and semi-structured interviews conducted with nine active peer mentors. Transcribed interviews were coded and analysed using framework analysis. RESULTS: It was possible to recruit, train and retain volunteers with OA to become peer mentors. The peer mentors benefitted from their training and felt equipped to deliver the intervention. They enjoyed social elements of the mentorship intervention and gained satisfaction through delivering valued support to mentees. Peer mentors perceived the mentorship intervention to have a positive impact on self-management of OA for mentees. CONCLUSION: Training volunteers with OA to become peer mentors was feasible and acceptable. Peer mentors perceived their support benefitted others with OA. They positively rated their experience of providing mentorship support.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThis study demonstrates that it is possible to recruit, train and engage older volunteers to become peer mentors for people with osteoarthritis.Training should highlight the significance of employing key self-management techniques such as goal-setting.Peer mentors acknowledged that they benefitted from training and delivering the mentorship intervention, and this impacted positively on their own osteoarthritis self-management.Careful consideration of matching mentors and mentees appears to enhance the success of mentorship support.Recognising the impact of mentorship support on mentees' self-management is central to peer mentors' sustained engagement with the intervention.

Understanding peer mentorship in supporting self-management of hip and knee osteoarthritis: A qualitative study of mentees' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) are common musculoskeletal conditions. Treatment is usually conservative, making self-management a priority. We developed and trialled an OA peer mentorship intervention to support self-management in older people. Our objectives were to gain understanding of the perceived challenges of living with OA and explore how a peer mentorship intervention can support tackling these challenges; and to explore mentees' experiences of receiving the intervention to understand how this affected their OA self-management. METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews focussing on acceptability and feasibility of being in the study were conducted with mentees. Transcribed interviews were double coded and subject to framework analysis. To address the objectives of this paper, three main themes were subject to focused analysis: mentees' experiences of OA, experience of peer mentorship support and factors influencing self-management. RESULTS: Seventeen mentees participated in an interview following completion of the peer support intervention. Themes emerging from focused analysis were the following: tackling the challenges of living with OA pre- and post-intervention; and the interplay of the peer mentorship intervention and self-management. Key elements of the latter theme are enabling factors provided by peer mentorship, and mentees' readiness to self-manage. CONCLUSION: To effectively support OA self-management, peer mentorship interventions should include core educational components and focus on strategies that enhance key enablers of self-management. Paying attention to the mentor-mentee relationship and timing of intervention engagement can maximise opportunities for older people to adjust and transition from supported to independent self-management.

Peer mentorship to improve self-management of hip and knee osteoarthritis: a randomised feasibility trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a peer mentorship intervention to improve self-management of osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Six-month parallel group non-blinded randomised feasibility trial. SETTING: One secondary care and one primary care UK National Health Service Trust. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty adults aged ≥55 years old with hip and/or knee OA. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were allocated 1:1 to the intervention or control group using an online randomisation service. Intervention group participants received usual care (information resources) and up to eight community-based self-management support sessions delivered by a peer mentor (trained volunteer with hip and/or knee OA). Control group participants received usual care only. OUTCOME MEASURES: Key feasibility outcomes were participant and peer mentor recruitment and attrition, intervention completion and the sample size required for a definitive RCT. Based on these feasibility outcomes, four success criteria for proceeding to a definitive RCT were prespecified. Patient-reported outcomes were collected via questionnaires at baseline, 8 weeks and 6 months. RESULTS: Ninety-six individuals were screened, 65 were eligible and 50 were randomised (25 per group). Of the 24 participants who commenced the intervention, 20 completed it. Four participants did not complete the 6-month questionnaire. Twenty-one individuals were eligible for the peer mentor role, 15 were trained and 5 withdrew prior to being matched with a participant. No intervention-related harms occurred. Allowing for 20% attrition, the sample size required for a definitive RCT was calculated as 170 participants. The intervention group showed improvements in self-management compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility outcomes achieved the prespecified criteria for proceeding to an RCT. The exploratory analyses suggest peer mentorship may improve OA self-management. An RCT of the OA peer mentorship intervention is therefore warranted with minor modifications to the intervention and trial procedures. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN:50675542.