THE ONLY WORLWIDE OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS WORKING GROUP
The OA Patient Force represents more than 200 million patients worldwide. The main objective is to study osteoarthritis comprehensively, including all its manifestations and influenced factors, to enhance the health and quality of life of the population. The working group offers various benefits to its members, including collaboration, information, education, mutual support and advocacy.
200 +
Milion patients representedAssociations of more than 10 countries
in Europe and America.
595 +
Million people affected worldwide595 million people suffer from symptomatic
osteoarthritis.
The OA Patients Force brings together partners from all over the world to join forces so that together we can do the best we can to improve the quality of life of patients worldwide.
We need to tackle osteoarthritis with prevention, education and management programmes designed from a patient-centred perspective, initiatives that we are developing with our partners in the OA Patients Force.
It is so important that patients know that they have a voice and that they understand that they know their body better than anyone else. The OA Patients Force is working to bring this reality to patients so that they can make empowered decisions about their disease.
By combining our strengths and working on a global scale, we remain committed to improving the quality of life of osteoarthritis patients worldwide.
Meeting of Arthritis Foundation (USA) and OAFI (Spain) in the #OAFICongress17 (Barcelona) where the OA Patients Force idea was stablished.
Global Osteoarthritis Patients Perception Survey (GOAPPS)
The first survey to investigate the quality-of-life perception of osteoarthritis patients across different nations/cultures using the same questionnaire in different languages.
The aim was to conduct a pilot study to collect information on osteoarthritis patients' perceptions of the impact of the disease on their lives.
The results of this survey can be used as a tool to support all stakeholders involved in the healthcare process and management of osteoarthritis, and to develop a better understanding of patients' perceptions and how they may differ across cultures to address their needs more effectively in terms of prevention, research and management.
It was later published in 2020.
Publication of a systematic review summarising the scientific evidence on the impact of knee osteoarthritis on patients' quality of life and how it can be affected by individual factors such as demographics, lifestyle or comorbidities, to better understand the disease and facilitate new strategies for better patient management.
Meeting of the OA Patients Force members in Barcelona
We are currently developing a new version of the GOAPPS, including more countries than in the first edition.
Meeting 2024
We conduct our research through different methods:
Patient experience evaluation studies: Gathering feedback and suggestions from patients about their experience in the health system to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to optimise care.
Surveys and interviews, a tool that allows us to obtain information on patient satisfaction with different aspects of medical care, such as accessibility, communication, quality of care and waiting time.
Focus groups: meeting of a group of patients to discuss their experiences and opinions on a specific topic.
Delphi method: a tool for obtaining information and opinions from a group of experts on a specific topic in the field of health, which allows us to generate reports and studies that help decision-making in various fields, such as health policymaking, health service planning, health technology assessment and health research.
Nominal Groups, a research technique used to obtain the opinion of a group of experts on a specific topic. It is a structured, anonymous method that allows participants to express their ideas independently and without the influence of the opinions of others.
If you are a patient organisation working in the OA field and want to join the OA Patient Force, you can send an email to research@oafifoundation.com
What is the OA Patients Force
Osteoarthritis affects more than 595 million patients worldwide.
International cooperation is key to reduce its impact
Patients must unite with a shared vision and purpose to effectively combat osteoarthritis (OA). For this reason, the Osteoarthritis Patients Force, an alliance of leading rheumatology patient organisations, is working together globally with a special focus on osteoarthritis. Our goal is to promote its prevention and treatment through the pursuit of excellence in research, addressing clinical challenges and training healthcare professionals from a multidisciplinary perspective.
The OA Patient Force represents more than 150 million patients worldwide
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that significantly affects people’s quality of life. The main objective of the OA Patient Force is to study osteoarthritis comprehensively, including all its manifestations and influenced factors, to enhance the health and quality of life of the population. This is achieved by providing a secure and supportive environment for individuals to share experiences, learn from each other, and receive assistance.
The working group offers various benefits to its members, including:
- Information and education: Members can access knowledge about osteoarthritis, its causes, treatments, and management options.
- Mutual support: Members can share experiences, advice, and coping strategies.
- Advocacy: members can advocate for improved policies and services for people with osteoarthritis.
- Collaboration: The working group promotes and develops research projects, provides scientific materials, enhances specialist training, collaborates with patient associations, and raises awareness of rheumatic pathologies among the general public.
The objectives of the working group are:
Establishing a team of osteoarthritis experts contributing to the continual enhancement of care, education, and research in this field.
Facilitating the acquisition of skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary for approaching individuals with osteoarthritis.
Collaborating in organizing and conducting scientific and training activities related to osteoarthritis.
Exchanging scientific and training activities with other groups or scientific societies interested in osteoarthritis.
Through these efforts, the OA Patient Force strives to empower individuals affected by osteoarthritis, improve healthcare outcomes, and advance the understanding and management of this condition on a global scale.