Morbidity analysis in a rheumatology clinic by occupation and diagnosis

Izvršena je analiza 425 bolesnika sukcesivno pregledanih u ambulantama Reumatološkog instituta od strane specijalista reumatologa s namerom da se vidi socijalna i medicinska struktura bolesnika koji se upućuju u jednu specijalizovanu reumatološku ustanovu. U radu je analiziran morbiditet te je utvrđeno da se najveći postotak oboljenja odnosi na degenerativne promene kičmenog stuba (46 %). Radnici iz udruženog rada imali su češće degenerativne promene u odnosu na ostale ispitanike, ali su ređe obolevali od zapaljenskog reumatizma. Analizom apsentizma utvrđeno je da su radnici iz proizvodnog rada procentualno više izostajali s posla nego radnici iz administracije. Radnici iz administracije, međutim, bili su češće hospitalizovani od radnika iz proizvodnih zanimanja.An analysis of 425 patients referred to the outpatients department of the Institute for Rheumatology was performed with the intention to find out who these patients were from the social and medical point of view. The analysed group was composed of 192 (45 %) men and 233 (55 %) women with the residence in the city of Belgrade and its suburbs (79.5 %), on the territory of SR Serbia (17.9 %) and in the other republics (2.6 %). The patients were referred mostly by general practitioners (205), specialists (150), and health insurance boards (25), with requests for consultative examinations and hospitalization. Out of the total number of 425 patients, 246 were seen for the first time in the department, 82 were on a regular follow-up and 97 patients had been treated earlier in the department. Among the examined patients there were 175 workers, 68 clerks, 21 farmers, 66 housewives, 82 pensioners and 13 students. The majority were diagnosed as having degenerative spine and disc lesions (196), followed by inflammatory rheumatic diseases (77), peripheral osteoarthrosis (52), extra-articular rheumatism (37), miscellaneous rheumatic conditions (9) and normal findings or nonrheumatic diseases (30). Twenty-four patients, who remained undiagnosed, were in need of further medical investigation and follow-up. Out of the 243 patients employed 166 (68.3 %) were on sick leave and 21 were hospitalized for further treatment and examination