Helping people with osteoarthritis get proven self-care support through primary care and a new arthritis wellbeing network
Official title: Establishing a Collaborating Center for OACareTools PLUS (OACareTools Primary care-Led Usability & Scalability Study) and a Coordinating Center for an Arthritis Management & Wellbeing Research Network
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11180034 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create centers to help primary care teams use OACareTools to connect people with osteoarthritis to proven self-management programs, with extra focus on Black, Latino, and rural communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | September 29, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $300,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U48DP006837-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180034 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with osteoarthritis who receive care at participating primary care clinics, particularly Black, Latino, or rural patients seeking non-surgical self-management options.
✕Less likely to help
People without osteoarthritis, those not seen at participating clinics, or patients whose condition primarily requires surgical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you have osteoarthritis, this project aims to make it easier for your primary care clinic to offer and refer you to evidence-based self-management programs like physical activity and weight management. The team will set up a collaborating center and a coordinating center within an Arthritis Management & Wellbeing Research Network to improve the usability and scalability of OACareTools in routine primary care. They will work directly with clinicians and clinics to create practical workflows, train staff, and gather patient feedback to boost counseling and referrals. Special attention will be paid to tailoring approaches to better reach Black, Latino, and rural patients and reduce disparities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people with osteoarthritis could receive timely counseling and easier access to programs that reduce pain and improve function, especially in underserved communities.
How similar studies have gone: Evidence-based arthritis self-management programs and provider counseling have helped patients before, but broad implementation in primary care and scaling to underserved groups is less well tested.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ammerman, Alice S — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Ammerman, Alice S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Collaborating Center for Arthritis Care Tools and a Coordinating Center for an Arthritis Management & Wellbeing Network
A coordinated NIH program aims to improve how primary care providers refer people with arthritis to evidence-based, self-management programs and to boost participation, especially among groups facing disparities.
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Creating a center to improve arthritis management and support.
This study is all about helping people with arthritis, especially those who might not get the best care, by finding better ways for patients to take charge of their health and work with their doctors on things like exercise and weight management.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.