Health Care Utilization

Medical problems with musculoskeletal implications were diagnosed in 455,800 children and adolescent health care visits in 2012, of which 45% (207,000) had a primary diagnosis of a medical problem with musculoskeletal implications condition. More than one in ten (12%) children and adolescents with any medical problem diagnoses were hospitalized (55,300), while 2% (4,800) with a primary diagnosis had a hospital discharge. (Reference Table 7.1.1 PDF [1] CSV [2] and Table 7.1.2 PDF [3] CSV [4])

Males and females were hospitalized with a medical problem with musculoskeletal implications in about the same numbers, but with a primary diagnosis, males were more likely to be hospitalized. The highest rate of hospitalization when compared to other MSK conditions, was for adolescents age 18 to 20 years of age, the ages just entering adulthood. However, this age group tends to have a higher rate of musculoskeletal hospitalizations overall.

Any diagnoses of a medical problem with musculoskeletal implications accounted for 11% of hospitalizations for any musculoskeletal condition diagnosis, and less than 1% of all hospitalizations for any health care condition. Hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of a medical problem were 1% of all musculoskeletal diagnoses and 0.1% of hospitalizations for any health condition diagnosis. (Reference Table 7.10 PDF [5] CSV [6])

Rickets accounted for 35% of all health care visits for medical problems with musculoskeletal implications, but 69% of the hospitalized cases. (Reference Table 7.1.1 PDF [1] CSV [2])