Shoulder patients in primary and specialist health care. A cross-sectional study

Abstract Objectives Shoulder pain is a prevalent problem and has considerable impact on the use of primary specialist health care in Norway. It important to improve short-term recovery reduce long-term consequences regarding disability, high costs treatment amount sick-leave. Treatment for non-specific shoulder mainly non-operative. The aims this study were investigate if there are differences main characteristics, disability (SPADI-score) psycho-social factors between patients care. Methods This cross-sectional included consulting physiotherapy at an outpatient clinic Well-known tested questionnaires these populations used variables divided into clinical, sociodemographic, psycho-social, disability. Descriptive statistics applied. Two-sample t -test linear regression continuous data whereas chi-square tests logistic applied test categorical two populations. Results Two hundred 36 recruited from (FYSIOPRIM, Physiotherapy In Primary Care) 167 Patients reported less regular medication (30.7 vs. 61.3%) fewer had symptom duration >12 months (41.9 51.0%). Furthermore, they lower intensity, (SPADI-score), scores factors, but higher expectations recovery. Conclusions with treated different according such as symptoms, some variables. However, small variations within samples large. seemed be affected have concerning their based our results we may question why many referred rather than continuing