(P23-053-23) Reasons for Initiation and Perceived Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements for Arthritis Among Older Adults

Objectives: Arthritis does not have definitive cure. Patients turn to dietary supplements to alleviate their symptoms. This study explored the reasons for initiating supplements for arthritis and their perceived effectiveness among older adults.

Methods: Volunteers (n = 56, 70 ± 7 years old) with a self-reported diagnosis of arthritis completed a 17-question survey about their use of supplements for arthritis, reasons and sources of information for initiating supplements, perceived effectiveness of supplements to manage arthritis-related pain, level of pain during flare-ups (on a 0 to 10 scale), and their use of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed medications for arthritis. Levels of pain and medication use were compared between users and non-users of supplement using the chi-squared and t tests. A regression model identified predictors of perceived pain.

Results: Of the 56 participants, 63% used supplements, and 57% reported taking them continuously over the past 12 months. The top choices were glucosamine (taken by 63% of participants), fish oil/omega 3 fatty acids (59%), and chondroitin (45%). The top two reasons for use were to reduce pain/symptoms (86%) and to prevent worsening of symptoms (66%). The main sources of information for initiating supplements were suggestions from a friend or coworker (55%), a health care provider (50%), or a family member (47%). For managing pain, 66% reported supplements to be minimally to highly effective, whereas 34% perceived their supplements as ineffective or were unable to tell. The mean pain score was 6.5 ± 2.4. The pain levels did not differ significantly between supplement users and non-users. However, the mean pain score was lower (p = 0.002) in users who perceived supplements to be moderately-highly effective (5.31 ± 5.5, 46% of users) compared with those who found supplements ineffective or could not tell (7.68 ± 2.0, 54%). The two groups did not differ in their use of prescription or OTC medications. The number of visits to a doctor for arthritis in the past 12 months was the only predictor of perceived pain (adjusted R squared 0.273, p = 0.004) but not supplements or medication.

Conclusions: Most patients with arthritis use supplements and perceive them to be effective. Healthcare providers should routinely discuss supplements with their patients.

Funding Sources: None