Augmenting the Health Belief Model to Promote Knee Massage as Self-Management Among Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Roadmap for Future Research and Intervention Development

Abstract

Self-administered massage is a form of self-management that has been shown to alleviate symptoms among individuals with knee osteoarthritis. However, existing interventions have yielded inconsistent results in terms of promoting the practice of self-administered massage, highlighting a critical gap in the application of a theoretical or conceptual model. The current study utilized an expanded health belief model that integrates constructs from the theory of planned behavior aimed to identify the behavioral determinants associated with the practice of self-administered knee massage. An observational study was designed to address the objectives using an online survey. A total of 268 participants with knee osteoarthritis completed the survey. Data regarding the clinical characteristics of participants, including the year of diagnosis, chronicity of pain, affected knee(s), and the intensity of pain in terms of current, average, and worst levels, were collected. Structural equation modeling was used to test the predictive validity of the proposed model. The model revealed self-administered massage behavior to be predicted by intention (β = .21, p < .014). Intention was predicted by cues (β = .29, p <.001), task self-efficacy (β = .29, p <.001), affective attitudes (β = .14, p =.011), perceived severity (β = .27, p <.001), and perceived facilitators (β = .22, p <.001), but not response self-efficacy, instrumental attitudes, or barriers. Intention mediated the effects between cues (β = .06, 95% CI .025, .129) and perceived severity (β = .06, 95% CI .014, .127) and behavior. Model determinants were found to mediate between age and behavior (β = -.16, 95% CI -.224, -.093). Interventions aimed at promoting self-administered massage should focus on enhancing individuals' perception of the severity of their knee OA progression and their confidence in performing the massage by teaching them the common massage techniques.