Health care utilisation in subjects with osteoarthritis, chronic back pain and osteoporosis aged 65 years and more: mediating effects of limitations in activities of daily living, pain intensity and mental diseases.
Musculoskeletal diseases (MDs) have major consequences for the individual, and also for society and may thus lead to increased use of health care. It was the aim of this study to explore health care utilisation in patients with self-reported osteoarthritis, chronic back pain or osteoporosis compared with people of the same age without those diseases, based on data of the Austrian health interview survey including 3,097 subjects aged ≥ 65 years. Patients with MDs in our study visited a general practitioner (GP) and were hospitalised significantly more often compared with persons without the respective diseases. Problems in the activities of daily living (ADLs), pain intensity and anxiety/depression influenced GP consultations. Complex factors explain the higher health care utilisation in subjects with MDs in our study. Our results indicate that integrated strategies are needed to manage those patients, which should focus on management of ADL problems, pain and mental health.
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, tanja.stamm@meduniwien.ac.at.
Tanja Alexandra
TA
Stamm
Karin
K
Pieber
Gerhard
G
Blasche
Thomas Ernst
TE
Dorner
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D001317:Austria; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data