As known, the pandemic had a substantial impact on the entire healthcare chain, not only in Sweden but worldwide. According to the study, physicians who often handle individuals with confirmed or suspected osteoarthritis had to address a different patient group and provide treatment. Another factor affecting the flow of osteoarthritis patients seemed to be that these individuals, along with others who typically visit primary care centers, chose to reschedule or postpone seeking medical care. The study focused on visits to a General Practitioner (GP), which is equivalent to a family doctor or primary care physician. In Sweden, physicians specializing in general medicine often work within primary care.

The study utilized data from a patient register collecting information from primary care physicians. Data was collected from a few years before the pandemic's start until December 31, 2020. The patterns of how often patients sought healthcare and what they sought before the pandemic were compared with data from 2020. The study included individuals aged 45 or older with at least 1 year of valid medical information registered in the database.

Using two different analytical methods, researchers estimated the expected number of new osteoarthritis diagnoses per week if there were no pandemic. The analysis also considered the number of Covid-19 deaths.

The results indicated a more than 46% decrease in consultations for musculoskeletal issues during the first wave and slightly over 9% during the second wave. The number of consultations resulting in new diagnoses of hip osteoarthritis decreased by over 52%, and by more than 61% for consultations related to hip symptoms. During the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, these figures were just above 25% for newly diagnosed hip osteoarthritis and slightly over 10% for hip-related complaints.

If you would like to know more, please read the full study with all the details by clicking here. The Oarsi journal page will open in a new tab.