ArticleBMC health services research2021
Driving factors for the utilisation of healthcare services by people with osteoarthritis in Portugal: results from a nationwide population-based study.
Article in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exploring utilisation of knee and hip osteoarthritis healthcare services and its predictors: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Association of physical activity with physical function and quality of life in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis: longitudinal analysis of a population-based cohort.Arthritis research & therapy · 2023Article
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Comorbidity Phenotypes in Primary Health Care Patients in Northern Greece.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
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Abstract
backgroundWorldwide, the current management of knee osteoarthritis appears heterogeneous, high-cost and often not based on current best evidence. The absence of epidemiological data regarding the utilisation of healthcare services may conceal the need for improvements in the management of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study is to explore the profiles of healthcare services utilisation by people with knee osteoarthritis, and to analyse their determinants, according to Andersen's behavioural model.
methodsWe analysed a sample of 978 participants diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis from the population-based study EpiReumaPt, in Portugal. Data was collected with a structured interview, and the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis was validated by a rheumatologist team. With the Two-step Cluster procedure, we primarily identified different profiles of healthcare utilisation according to the services most used by patients with knee osteoarthritis. Secondly, we analysed the determinants of each profile, using multinomial logistic regression, according to the predisposing characteristics, enabling factors and need variables.
resultsIn our sample, a high proportion of participants are overweight or obese (82,6%, n = 748) and physically inactive (20,6%, n = 201) and a small proportion had physiotherapy management (14,4%, n = 141). We identified three profiles of healthcare utilisation: "HighUsers"; "GPUsers"; "LowUsers". "HighUsers" represents more than 35% of the sample, and are also the participants with higher utilisation of medical appointments. "GPUsers" represent the participants with higher utilisation of general practitioner appointments. Within these profiles, age and geographic location - indicated as predisposing characteristics; employment status and healthcare insurance - as enabling factors; number of comorbidities, physical function, health-related quality of life, anxiety and physical exercise - as need variables, showed associations (p < 0,05) with the higher utilisation of healthcare services profiles.
conclusionsHealthcare utilisation by people with knee osteoarthritis is not driven only by clinical needs. The predisposing characteristics and enabling factors associated with healthcare utilisation reveal inequities in the access to healthcare and variability in the management of people with knee osteoarthritis. Research and implementation of whole-system strategies to improve equity in the access and quality of care are paramount in order to diminish the impact of osteoarthritis at individual-, societal- and economic-level.
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