Measuring disease prevalence: a comparison of musculoskeletal disease using four general practice consultation databases.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Primary care consultation data are an important source of information on morbidity prevalence. It is not known how reliable such figures are.

Aim

To compare annual consultation prevalence estimates for musculoskeletal conditions derived from four general practice consultation databases.

Design of study

Retrospective study of general practice consultation records.

Setting

Three national general practice consultation databases: i) Fourth Morbidity Statistics from General Practice (MSGP4, 1991/92), ii) Royal College of General Practitioners Weekly Returns Service (RCGP WRS, 2001), and iii) General Practice Research Database (GPRD, 1991 and 2001); and one regional database (Consultations in Primary Care Archive, 2001).

Method

Age-sex standardized

SUBMITTER: Jordan K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2032694 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature