Patients with musculoskeletal and primary care

It is well established that musculoskeletal disorders represent a huge cost to society in terms of absenteeism, lost production and treatment costs. However, there are no recent data on how much of the burden on primary care is due to patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Likewise, data are lacking on what happens to patients with musculoskeletal disorders who visit doctors in primary care. The purpose of this study is therefore to provide estimates of the frequency of visits for patients with musculoskeletal disorders in primary care and the diagnosis and initial treatment they receive. A total of 2000 medical records from consultations in primary care in Västerbotten County will be analyzed.

The results can be of value for improving the initial care of this patient group.