OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of aligning patients' preferences with specific rehabilitation delivery modes on rehabilitation outcomes. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: The study cohort comprised 208 patients referred for physiotherapy rehabilitation after non-surgical or surgical interventions for rotator cuff injury, shoulder impingement, or acromioclavicular osteoarthritis. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three rehabilitation modalities: 1) group-based exercise, 2) individual exercise, or 3) home exercise. In this study, participants were categorized into two groups: "matched preference" (MP) and "unmatched preference" (UP). The primary outcome measure was change in function, measured with the shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH). Secondary outcome measures were change in pain, assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), mental well-being measured with the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), health-related quality of life assessed using the EuroQol-5Domain questionnaire (EQ-5D), fear avoidance assessed using the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire (ÖMPQ), and overall treatment satisfaction. Outcomes were assessed at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: The primary outcome measure, QuickDASH, showed no significant differences between groups at either 3 months (-3.0 [-8.2 to 2.3]) or 6 months (0.5 [-5.7 to 6.7]). Additionally, no significant differences were observed in the secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSION: Matching patients' preferences for specific rehabilitation delivery modes did not seem to effect rehabilitation outcomes.
Keywords: health-related quality of life; patient preference; rehabilitation outcomes; shoulder rehabilitation.