An Assessment of the Association Between Rural Status and Health Service Resource Use Among Patients With Ankle Sprains in Ontario

Abstract

Top four biologics used across the two patient groups: etanercept (33%)/adalimumab (30%)/tocilizumab (9%)/certolizumab pegol (7%). Current lab values/disease severity measures: ESR (mm/h) 21.7/23.2; CRP (mg/l) 10.3/10.3; rheumatoid factor (positive) 84%/87%; anti-CCP (positive) 70%/80%; current disease stage per physician judgment: mild 65%/52%, moderate 32%/40%, severe 3%/8%; mean VAS 3.4/3.6; mean HAQ 1.4/1.1; mean DAS 28 3.6/3.3; mean tender joint count 3.5/4.1; mean swollen joint count 2.4/2.6. ConClusions: In this cohort of RA patients in Europe, the majority of patients on monotherapy and combination therapy had mild disease per physician judgment and were on first-line biologic therapy. Lab measures and joint counts indicated only slightly higher disease burden among combination therapy patients. The impact of specific biologic treatments on observed patterns and the need for therapeutic sequencing may warrant further research.

A Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Mental Health-Related Emergency Department Visits Among Veterans and Non-Veterans Residing in Ontario, Canada: Une analyse de cohorte rétrospective des visites au service d’urgence liées à la santé mentale parmi les vétérans et non-vétérans résidant en Ontario, Canada

“…Rurality was ascertained at the index date using Rurality Index of Ontario (RIO) 2008 scores, which account for a community's size, density, and proximity to healthcare services and range from 0 to 100. 33 We used Lucas et al's 34 RIO score categorizations: 0–3 (large, urban centres with access to advanced referral centres), 4–14 (urban centres with access to basic referral centres), 15–39 (small urban centres), 40–74 (rural communities), and 75+ (remote, rural communities).…”

Mental health service use among Canadian veterans within the first 5 years following service: methodological considerations for comparisons with the general population

“…28 RIO scores range from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating more urban communities and higher scores representing more rural communities. We employed the same categories used by Lucas et al , 29 which group communities using the following RIO scores: 0–3 (large, urban centres with access to advanced referral centres; eg, Toronto), 4–14 (large, urban centres with access to basic referral centres; eg, Kitchener), 15–39 (smaller urban centres; eg, Brockville), 40–74 (small, rural communities located primarily in southern Ontario; eg, Goderich) and 75+ (remote, rural communities located primarily in northern Ontario; eg, Kapuskasing). The number of major and minor comorbidities was assessed at 1 year following index date using the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG) system for categorising illnesses using International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes.…”