Qualitative Semi-Structured Interviews on the Experiences of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome Patients Receiving Shoulder Injections

Objectives: To establish the experiences of subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS) patients receiving lateral versus posterior shoulder injections associated with better clinical outcomes.

Design: A semi-structured qualitative interview to investigate SAIS patients’ experiences of receiving shoulder injections

Settings: Out-patients community musculoskeletal service Sample: 20 participants for the semi-structured qualitative interview.

Results: From the semi-structured interviews, the five major themes which emerged are an expectation of treatment, treatment outcome, procedure, patient education, and access to treatment. Participants felt that their shoulder symptoms improved not only because of the effect of the cortisone injection, but also because of education about their treatment, exercise information, the professionalism, experience, and skills of the injecting clinicians, access to treatment as well as good customer service. These views were expressed by those who had complete pain relief and those who still had some residual pain.

Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of patients’ education, their involvement in the treatment, exercise information, the professionalism, experience, and skills of injecting clinicians, and access to treatment for improving the patients’ overall experiences and clinical outcomes. In view of these bene????its, future studies should therefore consider the use of qualitative research methods in the investigation of musculoskeletal conditions such as shoulder conditions.

Keywords: Subacromial impingement syndrome, shoulder injections, cortisone injection, semi-structured interviews, qualitative study, patient experience.

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