Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Health Rep. 2014 Sep;25(9):10-7.
The time between symptom onset and physician diagnosis is a period when people with osteoarthritis can make lifestyle changes to reduce pain, improve function and delay disability.
This study analyses data for a nationally representative sample of 4,565 Canadians aged 20 or older who responded to the Arthritis component of the 2009 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada. Descriptive statistics are used to report the prevalence of hip and knee osteoarthritis; the mean age of symptom onset and diagnosis; medication use; and contacts with health professionals during the previous year.
Among people with a physician diagnosis of arthritis, 37% reported osteoarthritis. Of these, 70% experienced pain in the hip(s), knee(s), or hip(s) and knee(s). Close to half (48%) of these people experienced symptoms the same year that they were diagnosed; 42% experienced symptoms at least a year before the diagnosis; and 10% experienced symptoms after the diagnosis. Among those who had symptoms before diagnosis, the average time between symptom onset and diagnosis was 7.7 years.
Individuals with osteoarthritis may experience symptoms for several years before they obtain a physician diagnosis.
从症状出现到医生诊断的这段时间，是骨关节炎患者可以改变生活方式以减轻疼痛、改善功能和延缓残疾的时期。
本研究分析了加拿大全国代表性样本中 4565 名 20 岁或以上、对 2009 年加拿大慢性病生活状况调查中的关节炎部分做出回应的人群的数据。描述性统计数据用于报告髋部和膝部骨关节炎的流行率；症状出现和诊断的平均年龄；药物使用情况；以及在过去一年中与卫生专业人员的接触情况。
在有医生诊断为关节炎的人群中，37%的人报告患有骨关节炎。其中，70%的人髋部、膝部或髋部和膝部有疼痛。这些人中近一半（48%）在诊断的同一年出现症状；42%的人在诊断前至少一年出现症状；10%的人在诊断后出现症状。在那些在诊断前有症状的人当中，从症状出现到诊断的平均时间为 7.7 年。
骨关节炎患者在获得医生诊断之前可能会出现数年的症状。
