Table 3.

Overview of the patient reported barriers and facilitators to use the self-management booklet

Theme 1: role of health care providers
Barriers	Lack of clear information about how to use the booklet given by the health care providers
	Lack of encouragement from health care providers to use the booklet in the treatment course of OA
	Patients’ doubts concerning the health care providers’ endorsement of non-surgical treatment modalities for OA
Facilitator	Encouragement from health care providers to use the booklet in the treatment course of OA
Theme 2: patient’s perceptions about OA and its manageability
Barriers	Patients’ perceptions of OA as inevitable or not curable
	Patients’ perceptions that the complaints due to OA are not severe enough
	Thinking that being pro-active during the treatment course is not an effective strategy to control the disease course
Facilitator	Being convinced of the importance of an active participation in the treatment course of OA
Theme 3: patient’s perceptions about the usefulness of the booklet and patient's information needs
Barriers	Patients’ perceptions that the booklet is not a useful tool to manage their OA or not being aware of the aims of the booklet
	Having already sufficient knowledge about OA or sufficient support from health care providers
	Not willing to know everything about OA or not paying any attention to OA
Facilitators	Patients’ perceptions that the booklet is a useful tool to manage their OA
	Lack of knowledge about OA or being interested in having more information