Changes to consultations and diagnosis of osteoarthritis in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

General practitioners (GP) are often the first medical professionals to treat musculoskeletal complaints. Yet the impact of COVID-19 on primary care utilisation for musculoskeletal complaints is largely unknown. This study quantifies the impact of the pandemic on primary care utilisation for musculoskeletal complaints and specifically osteoarthritis (OA) in the Netherlands.

Design

We extracted data on GP consultations in 2015-2020 from 118,756 patients over 45 years of age and estimated reductions in consultations in 2020 as compared to 5-year average. Outcomes were GP consultations for: any musculoskeletal complaints, knee and hip OA, knee and hip complaints, and newly diagnosed knee and hip OA/complaints.

Results

The relative reductions in consultations ra

SUBMITTER: Velek P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9985915 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature