Table 4 Key informant views about barriers of equitable timely person-centred OA care

Patient

Influenced by patient attributes, knowledge or behaviour, or experienced by patients

Women delay seeking care (unclear who to see, time constraints, other commitments)

x

x

x

Cost—no health benefits for therapy or cannot afford to take time off work

x

x

x

Language limitations prevent help-seeking and challenge communication

x

x

x

No family doctor to manage OA or refer to others

x

x

x

OA dismissed by clinicians due to age, not considered serious, particularly if women do not self-advocate/ask questions

x

x

x

Challenge adopting new or unfamiliar activities such as exercise

x

x

x

No or limited technology access or ability

x

x

---

Clinician

Influenced by clinician attributes, knowledge or behaviour, or experienced by clinicians

Clinicians lack knowledge about OA

x

---

x

Little or no interpreters or translated take-home material

x

---

---

Short appointment time limits ability to develop rapport, and discuss concerns and management

---

x

x

Lack of intersectional training, awareness or support

---

x

x

Patients may not disclose personal information

---

x

---

Ensuring women have a female clinician and/or private space

---

x

---

System

Influenced by the way that health care is planned, organized, delivered, staffed and funded

Shortage of healthcare professionals or services prioritized for conditions of greater severity

x

x

x

Long wait times for tests or referrals to specialists

x

x

x

No coordinated system of interdisciplinary care

---

x

x

Therapists have limited scope of practice

---

x

---

Therapy services not publicly funded

---

x

---

Lack of focus and funding for public health campaigns to prevent OA

---

x

x

Lack of diversity among healthcare professionals

---

---

x

Lack of policies or programs specific to women with OA

---

---

x