Biomedical subjects

G M Woolhead

Publications and source records attributed to G M Woolhead.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Outcomes of total knee replacement: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patients' experiences of outcome from a total knee replacement (TKR). METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 patients 3 months before TKR, with 10 interviewed again 6 months after surgery. Patients were purposively sampled to include a range of demographic characteristics. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Methods of constant comparison were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Individuals struggled to make sense of their outcome and often described it in contradictory terms. When asked directly, most reported a good outcome, but further discussion revealed concern and discomfort with continuing pain and mobility difficulties. These apparently contradictory accounts were consistent with the presentation of public and private views, were dependent on the context of patients' lives, and represented an adaptation to their changed health state. CONCLUSION: Individuals reported their outcome from TKR as good despite the continued experience of pain and immobility. Although TKR has been shown to be a highly effective procedure using quantitative methods, they may need to be qualified by these qualitative findings.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Who should have priority for a knee joint replacement?

OBJECTIVES: To explore patients' views on who should have priority for total knee replacement (TKR). METHODS: In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 patients on the waiting list for a TKR. RESULTS: All participants were willing to comment on waiting lists and prioritization for TKR. Two major themes emerged: what they thought should happen, and what they thought did happen. They thought that priority should be based on length and degree of suffering, pain severity, immobility, paid employment, payment of National Insurance contributions, and caring for dependants. In contrast, they thought that what actually happened depended on age and weight, excessive complaining and access to private practice. CONCLUSIONS: The participants agreed with health professionals that pain and disability should be key criteria on which to prioritize people for a TKR. However, they also argued for a fair decision-making process that also included additional factors specific to the patient's circumstances. Criteria to aid prioritization for joint surgery need to accommodate the views of patients as well as professionals.

Adult↗