Margit Kooijman

Current care | 29 Data analysis Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables using Stata 11. Chi-square tests (a = 0.05) were used to test differences in categorical data between patients with shoulder syndromes with and without a referral; two-sample t-tests were used for continuous data. Results Incidence of shoulder syndromes in general practice in 2008 was 8.5 patients per 1000 patients, or 38% of all shoulder complaints. Prevalence was 14.2/1000 patients/ year, or 42% of all shoulder complaints. GPs treated 82% (n = 1983) of patients themselves and referred 18% (n = 445) to one or more other clinicians, mainly to a physiotherapist (13%, n = 306) or a medical specialist (7%, n = 165) (total is more than 18% because there may have been more than one referral per patient). In two- thirds of the referred patients (n = 199), the referral for physiotherapy was given during the first GP consultation without further treatment by the GP, seven percent (n = 20) were referred within two weeks and a further seven percent (n = 22) within one month. In general practice, there was no difference in terms of age or gender between patients who were referred for physiotherapy and those who were not (Table 1); 42% (n = 1016) of the patients with shoulder syndromes were male and the mean age was 55 years (SD 15). TABLE 1. Patient characteristics in general practice and physiotherapy practice General practice (GP) Physiotherapy practice (PT) Only GP (n = 2134) GP -> PT (n = 294) GP -> PT (n = 895) Only PT (n = 148) * Significant difference between ‘only PT patients’ in PT and ‘ GP -> PT patients’ in PT Table 2 shows that treatment in general practice was different for patients who were referred for physiotherapy. They consulted their GP more often but received less medication; in particular, fewer patients were prescribed NSAIDs. Of the patients referred for physiotherapy, 37% (n = 109) consulted their GP again after the visit during which the referral was made. Mean age (years ± SD) * 55 (15) 55 (14) 57 (16) 53 (16) Gender (% male) * 42 44 41 54