• Mari Kristine Tyrdal, Flavie Perrier, Cecilie Røe, Bård Natvig, Astrid Klopstad Wahl, Marit B Veierød, and Hilde Stendal Robinson.
• Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
• Scand J Prim Health Care. 2024 Dec 1; 42 (4): 582592582-592.

ObjectiveDescribe trends in health care utilization, demographic characteristics and patient pathways among patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in Norway.DesignRegister-based cohort study.SettingsData were obtained from two Norwegian National registries; the Norwegian Control and Payment of Health Reimbursements Database (KUHR) and the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR).SubjectsPatients with MSD according to ICPC-2 and ICD-10 during 2014-2017.Main Outcome MeasuresPatient pathways from the first contact and the following two years, described in a Sankey Diagram for all MSD patients and three common diagnoses: spine pain, osteoarthritis (OA) and fibromyalgia (FM).ResultAbout 26% of the Norwegian population consulted PHC annually while 7% were treated in SHC. Mean age was 47 and 53 years in PHC and SHC, respectively. The proportion of women increased by age. Spine pain was the most common diagnosis; 33% and 22% in PHC and SHC, respectively. Over 90% visited a GP first, 50% of them were treated by PT and/or in SHC during follow-up. Patients visiting the PT first were less likely to be treated in SHC. OA patients were most likely to be treated by more than one health care professional (>70%).ConclusionOne third of the Norwegian population consulted health care services due to MSD annually between 2014-2017. GP was the most consulted health care professional. Among MSD patients with long-term use of health care services, 50% were treated by a PT and/or in SHC in addition to a GP.

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