What effect have NHS commissioners’ policies for body mass index had on access to knee replacement surgery in England?: An interrupted time series analysis from the National Joint Registry

Journal article

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of local commissioners' policies for body mass index on access to knee replacement surgery in England.MethodsA Natural Experimental Study using interrupted time series and difference-in-differences analysis. We used National Joint Registry for England data linked to the 2015 Index of Multiple Deprivation for 481,555 patients who had primary knee replacement surgery in England between January 2009 and December 2019. Clinical Commissioning Group policies introduced before June 2018 to alter access to knee replacement for patients who were overweight or obese were considered the intervention. The main outcome measures were rate per 100,000 of primary knee replacement surgery and patient demographics (body mass index, Index of Multiple Deprivation, independently-funded surgery) over time.ResultsRates of surgery had a sustained fall after the introduction of a policy (trend change of -0.98 operations per 100,000 population aged 40+, 95% confidence interval -1.22 to -0.74, PConclusionsBody mass index policy introduction was associated with decreases in the rates of knee replacement surgery across localities that introduced policies. This affected all patient groups, not just obese patients at whom the policies were targeted. Changes in patient demographics seen after policy introduction suggest these policies may increase health inequalities and further qualitative research is needed to understand their implementation and impact

Authors: McLaughlin, J; Kipping, R; Owen-Smith, A; McLeod, H; Hawley, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Journal: PLoS ONE
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 6
• Pages: e0270274-e0270274
• Publication date: 2022-06-29
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270274
• EISSN: 1932-6203
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• Language: English
• Keywords: Population; Body mass index; Psychological intervention; Knee replacement; Overweight; Interrupted time series; Arthroplasty; Confidence interval; Medicine; Surgery; Interrupted Time Series Analysis; Environmental health; Physical therapy; Demography; Internal medicine