Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on DXA waiting lists and osteoporosis prescription trends in England 2019–2023
Authors' conclusion
COVID-19 has significantly increased DXA scan waiting lists with ongoing recovery challenges. There is a noticeable disparity in DXA service access across England. Osteoporosis care, indicated by medication prescriptions, also declined during the pandemic.
Study context
- Population
- NHS England, seven regions: DXA diagnostics waiting times (DM01) and osteoporosis medication prescriptions (English Prescribing Dataset (EPD)), March 2019 to June 2023
- Exposure
- Before vs during/after COVID-19
- Outcome
- Yearly mean DXA waiting list length
Methodological detailsregression analysis of expected activity without COVID-19
- Regression analysis of expected activity without COVID-19
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
2019
31,851
mean
2023
65,757
mean
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Patients waiting >6 weeks for DXA | 0.9% | 40% |
| Patients waiting >13 weeks for DXA | 0.1% | 16.7% |
Osteoporosis prescription trends
- Increases in denosumab, ibandronic acid and risedronate sodium; decreases in alendronic acid, raloxifene hydrochloride and teriparatide
- Notable overall prescription decrease in the second quarter of 2020
Original publication
Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on DXA waiting lists and osteoporosis prescription trends in England 2019–2023. Osteoporos Int. Published 25 May 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →