Osteoarthritis (OA) Champions Peer Mentorship Program Pilot Study

Single-arm pilot feasibility study testing of the OA Champions community-based peer mentorship program. The OA Champions Peer Mentorship Program provides up to six one-to-one mentorship sessions between a trained Mentor and a matched Mentee, both of whom have lived experience of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The Mentors undergo a training package consisting of 2x online module blocks, 2x half-day in-person training workshops and an over-the-phone case scenario assessment prior to delivering the program. The frequency and dosage of sessions are flexible, allowing the Mentor and Mentee to determine what best suits their needs and preferences, with a maximum of six sessions delivered over a 12-week block. Each one-to-one session will run for approximately one hour and take place in-person at a mutually convenient community location (e.g., cafe or library). The research lead will schedule the first session for each Mentor/Mentee pair and assist with further bookings as required. During mentorship sessions, the Mentor will provide support and evidence-based information informed by pain science, focusing on encouraging active self-management for OA. Sessions will follow structured but individualisable ‘session plans’, which include educational content, support and discussion prompts, resources to support learning, and tasks/activities. These plans help reduce the planning burden for Mentors while ensuring they have the necessary tools for a productive session. The session plans will be provided both electronically and physically for use in the sessions. Mentors receive full training on delivering these session plans and can choose those most relevant to their Mentee’s needs (i.e., not all will be covered). The session plan topics are: First Session, OA Myth Busting, Knee OA Scans, OA & Inflammation, What Influences Knee OA Pain, 3 Key Ingredients (Evidence-Based Treatments), Pain Alarm System, Twin Peaks, The Sweet Zone, Flare-Ups, Support After Surgery, Alternative Treatments, Goal Setting, Deciding on Surgery. Both Mentors and Mentees will fill out Session Logs after each mentorship session, including recording of attendance records, session details, content covered (including use of specific session plans), concerns and feedback. These will be monitored by the research team.