Does wearing arthritis gloves help with hand pain and function? A qualitative study into patients’ views and experiences
Does wearing arthritis gloves help with hand pain and function? A qualitative study into patients’ views and experiences
Objective: Arthritis gloves are frequently prescribed to people with undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis (UIA) or RA to help reduce hand pain and improve function. Nested within a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of arthritis gloves (Isotoner gloves vs loose-fitting placebo gloves) in people with RA and UIA, this qualitative study aimed to explore participants' views on the impact of wearing arthritis gloves on their hand pain and function. Methods: Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with purposively selected participants following 12 weeks of glove wearing. Participants and the interviewer were blinded to the treatment allocation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants (intervention: n = 10; control: n = 9) recruited from 13 National Health Service hospital sites in the UK participated in the interviews. Two main themes, with sub-themes, were elicited from the data: mechanisms determining glove use: 'As soon as your joints get a bit warmer, the pain actually eases' (thermal qualities; glove use in daily activities; glove use during sleep); and ambivalence about benefits of arthritis gloves: 'I suppose a normal pair of gloves would do the same sort of thing?' (are they a help or hindrance?; aesthetic appeal; future use of gloves). Conclusion: Participants had ambivalent views on the impact of both the intervention and the loose-fitting placebo gloves on their hand pain and function, identifying warmth as the main benefit. Ordinary mid-finger-length gloves widely accessible from high street suppliers could deliver warmth and provide the perceived benefits to hand pain and function.
Arthritis gloves, Compression gloves, Functional limitations, Hand pain, Hand problems, Inflammatory arthritis, Occupational therapy, Orthoses, RA
rkac007
Prior, Yeliz
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Bartley, Carol
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Adams, Jo
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Firth, Jill
e418e95d-50fe-4e72-8d60-1fcb87f937b1
Culley, June
46e643f3-6fd8-490b-9559-adb343380242
O’neill, Terence W
153e17da-1c52-448a-b432-955806920210
Hammond, Alison
bcbbb91c-3084-4c68-8aa6-4a5062703ecb
12 February 2022
Prior, Yeliz
b975bd46-8ff2-402a-a4a1-d7c894da8d63
Bartley, Carol
97b44756-03b7-4565-b84b-b13388ea9a76
Adams, Jo
6e38b8bb-9467-4585-86e4-14062b02bcba
Firth, Jill
e418e95d-50fe-4e72-8d60-1fcb87f937b1
Culley, June
46e643f3-6fd8-490b-9559-adb343380242
O’neill, Terence W
153e17da-1c52-448a-b432-955806920210
Hammond, Alison
bcbbb91c-3084-4c68-8aa6-4a5062703ecb
Prior, Yeliz, Bartley, Carol, Adams, Jo, Firth, Jill, Culley, June, O’neill, Terence W and Hammond, Alison
(2022)
Does wearing arthritis gloves help with hand pain and function? A qualitative study into patients’ views and experiences.
Rheumatology Advances in Practice, 6 (1), , [rkac007].
(doi:10.1093/rap/rkac007).
Abstract
Objective: Arthritis gloves are frequently prescribed to people with undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis (UIA) or RA to help reduce hand pain and improve function. Nested within a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of arthritis gloves (Isotoner gloves vs loose-fitting placebo gloves) in people with RA and UIA, this qualitative study aimed to explore participants' views on the impact of wearing arthritis gloves on their hand pain and function. Methods: Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with purposively selected participants following 12 weeks of glove wearing. Participants and the interviewer were blinded to the treatment allocation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants (intervention: n = 10; control: n = 9) recruited from 13 National Health Service hospital sites in the UK participated in the interviews. Two main themes, with sub-themes, were elicited from the data: mechanisms determining glove use: 'As soon as your joints get a bit warmer, the pain actually eases' (thermal qualities; glove use in daily activities; glove use during sleep); and ambivalence about benefits of arthritis gloves: 'I suppose a normal pair of gloves would do the same sort of thing?' (are they a help or hindrance?; aesthetic appeal; future use of gloves). Conclusion: Participants had ambivalent views on the impact of both the intervention and the loose-fitting placebo gloves on their hand pain and function, identifying warmth as the main benefit. Ordinary mid-finger-length gloves widely accessible from high street suppliers could deliver warmth and provide the perceived benefits to hand pain and function.
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Does wearing arthritis gloves help with hand pain and function
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rkac007
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 31 January 2022
Published date: 12 February 2022
Additional Information:
Funding: This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (grant reference number PB-PG-0214–33010). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Keywords:
Arthritis gloves, Compression gloves, Functional limitations, Hand pain, Hand problems, Inflammatory arthritis, Occupational therapy, Orthoses, RA
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 455260
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/455260
PURE UUID: ae73ec87-95c9-4d86-9748-dc8b891931a1
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Date deposited: 15 Mar 2022 18:09
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 07:09
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Contributors
Author:
Yeliz Prior
Author:
Carol Bartley
Author:
Jill Firth
Author:
June Culley
Author:
Terence W O’neill
Author:
Alison Hammond
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