Background: The burden of musculoskeletal conditions varies from region to region based on environmental and geographical factors. Knowing the extent of a problem and identifying the factors contributing to it is imperative in devising a preventive or curative measure for a specific issue affecting our population. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies have examined the pattern of orthopedic disease presented to the outpatient department (OPD) in the central region of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed at establishing a baseline statistic regarding the pattern and demographics distribution of orthopedic outpatient load in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among orthopedic outpatients at the Saudi King Fahad specialist hospital in Qassim, Buraydah. The orthopedics OPD data were extracted from patients’ computer records over 6 months (January 2021 to June 2021).
Results: A total of 740 patients were studied for their chief complaint diagnosis, and the study discovered that most patients (55%) were males aged 19-50 years (50.14%). Fractures were the most common diagnosis (21.1%), followed by arthritis (20.3%), sports injuries (10.7%), lower back pain (9.5%), and tendinopathies (9.1%). Males were significantly more likely than females to have osteoporosis, arthritis, sports injuries, joint stiffness, tendinopathies, and enthesopathies. On the other hand, females experienced significantly higher rates of spondylosis, soft tissue injuries, scoliosis, neck pain, lower back pain, and fractures. Furthermore, females are far more likely than males to be directed to the physiotherapy department.
Conclusion: The study recommends that better protocols and strategies may be developed for managing orthopedic disorders in hospitals and health systems.
Key words: Orthopedics, OPD, health care, Qassim region
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