Initial Provider

Characteristics of Older Adults with Back Pain Associated with Choice of First Primary Care Provider: A Cross-sectional Analysis from the BACE-N Cohort Study

By Frank M. Painter|January 20, 2022|Initial Provider, Medicare|

Characteristics of Older Adults with Back Pain Associated with Choice of First Primary Care Provider: A Cross-sectional Analysis from the BACE-N Cohort Study

SOURCE: BMJ Open 2021 (Sep 17); 11 (9): e053229

Ørjan Nesse Vigdal, Kjersti Storheim, Rikke Munk Killingmo, Milada Cvancarova Småstuen, and Margreth Grotle

Department of Physiotherapy,
Oslo Metropolitan University,
Oslo, Norway

Objectives: To describe characteristics of older adults with back pain in primary care, and to assess associations between patient characteristics and type of first primary care provider (general practitioner (GP), physiotherapist (PT) or chiropractor).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis from the Back Complaints in the Elders-Norway cohort study.

Setting: Norwegian GP, PT and chiropractic primary care centres.

Participants: Patients aged ≥55 years seeking Norwegian primary care with a new episode of back pain were invited to participate. Between April 2015 and February 2020, we included 452 patients: 127 first visited a GP, 130 first visited a PT and 195 first visited a chiropractor.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: For the first objective, the outcome measure was descriptive statistics of patient characteristics, covering the following domains: sociodemographic, general health, current and previous back pain, psychological and clinical factors. For the second objective, first primary care provider was the outcome measure. Associations between patient characteristics and visiting a GP or PT compared with a chiropractor were assessed with multiple multinomial regression analyses.

Results: Median (IQR) age was 66 (59-72) years. Levels of back-related disability was moderate to severe, with a median (IQR) Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (range 0-24) score of 9 (5-13). Recurring episodes were common, 301 (67%) patients had monthly or yearly recurrences. Patients with worse back-related disability, longer duration of symptoms, lower expectations for full recovery and worse physical performance measured with the Back Performance Scale had higher odds of visiting a GP or PT compared with a chiropractor (p<0.05).

There is more like this @ our:

MEDICARE Section and the:

INITIAL PROVIDER/FIRST CONTACT Section

(more…)

Association of Initial Provider Type on Opioid Fills for Individuals With Neck Pain

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Archives of Phys Med and Rehabilitation 2020 (Aug)

Christopher J. Louis, PhD, Carolina-Nicole S. Herrera, MA, et. al.

Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management,
Boston University School of Public Health,
Boston, Massachusetts.

Objective: To determine whether the initial care provider for neck pain was associated with opioid use for individuals with neck pain.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Marketscan research databases.

Participants : Patients (N=427,966) with new-onset neck pain from 2010-2014.

Main outcome measures: Opioid use was defined using retail pharmacy fills. We performed logistic regression analysis to assess the association between initial provider and opioid use. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using bootstrapping logistic models. We performed propensity score matching as a robustness check on our findings.

Results: Compared to patients with neck pain who saw a primary health care provider, patients with neck pain who initially saw a conservative therapist were 72%–91% less likely to fill an opioid prescription in the first 30 days, and between 41%–87% less likely to continue filling prescriptions for 1 year. People with neck pain who initially saw emergency medicine physicians had the highest odds of opioid use during the first 30 days (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 3.47–3.69; P<.001).

There are more articles like this @ our brand new:

Initial Provider/First Contact Section

(more…)