Table 3 Compliance to the Stepped-Care-Strategy in patients with hip/knee osteoarthritis in Dutch general practice (2006-2011) (n = 11 248)

Step 1:

Number of patients who received ≥1 of the advised step-1 modalities

9396

(84)

Education or lifestyle advise*

9332

(99)

Prescription of acetaminophen

342

(4)

Both modalities

278

(3)

Step 2:

Number of patients who received ≥1 of the advised step-2 modalities

2311

(21)

Prior application of step-1 modalities:

Any step 1 modality

1961

(85)

1. Education or lifestyle advise*

1947

(85)

2. Prescription of acetaminophen

153

(7)

Both education (1.) & prescription (2.)

139

(6)

Step 3:

Number of patients who received ≥1 of the advised step-3 modalities

1988

(18)

Prior application of step-1 modalities:

Any step 1 modality

1794

(90)

1. Education or lifestyle advise*

1791

(90)

2. Prescription of acetaminophen

68

(3)

Both education (1.) & prescription (2.)

65

(3)

Prior application of step-2 modalities:

Any step 2 modality

534

(27)

3. Prescription of (topical) NSAID

365

(18)

4. Prescription of tramadol

132

(7)

5. Referral for physical therapy

143

(7)

6. Referral for dietary therapy

5

(<1)

Both prescription (3. or 4.) & referral (5. or 6.)

45

(2)

Prior application of step-1 and step-2 modalities:

Both education (1.) & prescription (2. & (3. or 4.)) & referral (5. or 6.)

0

(0)