[Towards a multidisciplinary participating epidemiology: the OMG (Osteoarthrosis pathology in General Medicine)]

Aim of study is to collect data on a cohort of patients chronically exposed to NSAIDS and, on a sub-sample of patients, representative of the range severity and co-morbid conditions, to collect qualitative data with interviews, on patients' perceptions of their illness and treatments.

Patients with osteoarticular problems will be included in the cross sectional study and prospective surveillance. Cross sectional study: all the eligible patients followed by the MD in 4 months. Prospective surveillance. All the eligible patients with moderate-severe problems, requiring long term care. Doctors will be required to visit the patient at inclusion, after the inclusion (when clinically needed) and at the end of the surveillance period. Data will be collected on concomitant problems, severity and duration of osteoartrosis, drug and non-drug treatments prescribed, quality of life (SF-12 at entry and at each follow-up); WOMAC scale on severity of osteoarticular pathology, and problems with drugs (collected through interview).

Expected results are the incidence and prevalence of chronic care burden for each doctor, the number of patients with not controlled symptoms, the frequency and reasons for changes in drug treatments and the characteristics and variability of patients.