BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM DISEASES: A NATIONAL SURVEY ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF RHEUMATOLOGISTS IN MOROCCO

Background: The management of chronic inflammatory rheumatism (CIRD) necessitates a holistic approach, considering both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Non pharmacological treatment can contribute significantly to the overall well-being of patients with CIRD. Despite the recognized benefits, there may be challenges in integrating these non-pharmacological approaches into routine rheumatological practices. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the extent of integration and identify perceived barriers to implementing non pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism diseases (CIRD) and to analyze the association between these barriers and the lack of integration of non-pharmacological treatment for CIRD. Methods: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study carried out among Moroccan rheumatologists. 440 rheumatologists received by a Google forms type questionnaire collecting their sociodemographic data, the level of integration of non pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism diseases in their practice. The questionnaire included 10 conditions representing potential barriers to the implementation of non-pharmacological treatment for CIRD. Rheumatologists were asked to express their perceptions on these conditions using a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. We then analyzed, among the perceived barriers, those that showed a significant association with the lack of integration of non-pharmacological treatment for CIRD in the rheumatologists’practices. Results: Out of the 440 contacted rheumatologists, 132 respondents participated in the survey, with an average age of 44±12 years and 84.8% being female. The average length of practice was 15.4±12 years. The response rate was 30%. Among the respondents, 52.3% of rheumatologists reported a lack of integration of non-pharmacological treatment for CIRD into their current practice. In Table 1, we present the barriers perceived by rheumatologists regarding the integration of non-pharmacological treatment for CIRD. Table 1. Perceptions of rheumatologists regarding barriers to non-pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism diseases (CIRD). Barriers perceived by rheumatologists: N=132 Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly desagree Lack of knowledge about the Non-Pharmacological Treatment for CIRD. 9.1 21.2 24.2 25.8 19.7 Lack of suitable training. 49.2 34.1 9.8 5.3 1.5 Difficulties with time management during consultation. 56.1 34.1 10.7 0.8 2.3 Neglect by rheumatologists 9.8 12.9 27.3 27.3 22.7 Difficulties in organizing a multidisciplinary care. 50 42.4 6.1 1.5 0 Lack of multidisciplinary team members. 47.7 40.2 9.1 3 0 Difficulties communicating with the patient linked to their level of education. 40.2 37.1 12.9 8.3 1.5 Economic difficulties. 43.2 42.4 8.3 5.3 0.8 Lack of specialized infrastructure. 47 38.6 10.6 3 0.8 The lack of integration of non-pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism into the practices of Moroccan rheumatologists was found to be statistically associated with insufficient training (p=0.04) and a lack of knowledge about the various components of non-pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism (p=0.02). Conclusion: This work sheds light on the perceptions of rheumatologists regarding the barriers to integrating non-pharmacological treatment for chronic inflammatory rheumatism. It highlights the need to develop ongoing training for rheumatologists and to strengthen collaboration with other professionals in multidisciplinary management to enable a better holistic approach to patient care. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared. DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2024-eular.3497 Keywords: Non-pharmacological interventions, Best practices Citation: , volume 83, supplement 1, year 2024, page 1210Session: HPR Implementation and service evaluation (Poster View)

Non-pharmacological interventions, Best practices