A Poster Summarizing the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Knee Osteoarthritis Clinical Practice Guideline Is a Powerful Tool for Patient Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial

In 2013, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) published an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) on conservative treatment options for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a poster outlining the AAOS knee OA CPG on patient comprehension and satisfaction in the clinic.

This is a prospective 2-armed randomized controlled trial. Patients were eligible if they were of age 40-85 years, had degenerative knee OA, and did not consent for surgery. Patients were randomized to nonposter (standard care) and poster rooms. Knee OA treatment options were described to the patient verbally and posters were used as a teaching tool when present. The main outcomes were comprehension and satisfaction scores on a survey.

Of the 105 patients enrolled, 51 (48.6%) were randomized to usual care (control) and 54 (51.4%) to the intervention (poster). Poster patients outperformed control patients with an average of 55.3% ± 16.7% (mean ± SD) compared to 39.5% ± 13.3% correct answers ( P < .001). And 66.7% of poster patients and 29.4% of control patients achieved an adequately informed status of >50% correct answers ( P < .001; 50.5% overall). With a maximum possible score of 10, visit satisfaction scores were 9.4 ± 1.0 in poster patients and 9.2 ± 1.7 in control patients ( P = .50).

Patients educated using an AAOS knee CPG poster showed significant improvements in knowledge and were more likely to achieve an adequately informed status. No difference existed in visit satisfaction. A poster offers a low-cost, effective educational tool.

Level 1.