The effectiveness of self-management educational interventions for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability, and is the most common form of arthritis in the Western world. The most common joint to be affected is the knee. Pain and functional disability are common symptoms, which can lead to reduced quality of life and increase the risk of further morbidity.Current treatment aims to educate patients about the management of OA, reduce pain, improve function, decrease disability and reduce the progression of the disease. Education with clients has been described as a set of planned educational activities designed to improve patients' health behaviours and/or health status. The purpose of self-education is to maintain or improve health, or, in some cases, to slow deterioration by increasing participant's perception of self efficacy defined as an ability to control or manage various aspects of OA. To date, there is no systematic review of the literature undertaken to identify the effectiveness of self-management educational activities for osteoarthritis of the knee.