Patient-focused e-Learning about osteoarthritis and its management on pain self-efficacy

Grant recipient: Rachel Nelligan

Project title: Effects of a patient-focused e-Learning course about osteoarthritis and its management on knowledge and pain self-efficacy: a randomised controlled trial

Year awarded: 2022

Grant: Seeding Grant

Grant amount: $12,000

Snapshot: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability, yet many people lack access to accurate, evidence-based education to support effective self-management. This project evaluated a freely available, patient-focused eLearning course designed to improve knowledge and confidence in managing hip and knee OA. In a randomised controlled trial, 124 community-dwelling adults with OA were assigned to either a four-week self-directed eLearning course or a standard educational pamphlet. The study examined whether a scalable, digital education approach could improve understanding of OA and influence key behavioural and psychological outcomes.

The findings: Participants who completed the eLearning course demonstrated significantly greater improvements in osteoarthritis knowledge compared to those receiving standard information, with benefits maintained at 13 weeks. However, there was no difference between groups in pain self-efficacy.

The eLearning intervention also led to improvements in several secondary outcomes. At five weeks, participants reported better exercise self-efficacy and more positive illness perceptions. At 13 weeks, the eLearning group showed reduced fear of movement and greater use of weight loss strategies to manage symptoms. These findings suggest that while the course may not directly influence pain confidence, it can positively shift beliefs and behaviours that underpin long-term self-management.  

Benefits to the profession: This research provides strong evidence for the role of digital education as a practical and scalable tool in osteoarthritis care. The eLearning course offers physiotherapists a time-efficient, evidence-based resource to support patient education, addressing common barriers such as limited consultation time and variability in information delivery.

By improving patient knowledge and targeting maladaptive beliefs, the course may enhance engagement with recommended treatments such as exercise and weight management. This supports physiotherapists in delivering more effective, patient-centred care and may help reduce reliance on low-value or invasive interventions. The course is now freely available with unlimited access, increasing its potential reach and impact across clinical and community settings. 

Read about the findings of Rachel’s study. 

This Seeding Grant was supported by PRF corporate partner Worksafe Victoria.