Methods and Applications

We have used various methods to interrogate, analyse and assess data held in primary care EHR databases. Listed below are a selection with example publications. Further relevant publications can be found on the publications page.

  • Muller S, Hider SL, Raza K, Stack RJ, Hayward RA, Mallen CD. An algorithm to identify rheumatoid arthritis in primary care: a Clinical Practice Research Datalink study. BMJ Open. 2015;5(12):e009309.
  • Porcheret M, Hughes R, Evans D, et al. Data quality of general practice electronic health records: the impact of a program of assessments, feedback and training, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2004;11:1:78-86. More information
  • Wynne-Jones G, Mallen CD, Mottram S, Main CJ, Dunn KM. Identification of UK sickness certification rates, standardised for age and sex. British Journal of General Practice. 2009;59:564:510-6.
  • Wynne-Jones G, Dunn KM, Mallen CD, Main CJ. Sickness certification in general practice: A comparison of electronic records with self-reported absence, Primary Health Care Research and Development, 2008:9:2:113-118.
  • Chen Y, Hayward R, Chew-Graham CA, Hubbard R, Croft P, Sims K, Jordan KP. Prognostic value of first-recorded breathlessness for future chronic respiratory and heart disease: a cohort study using a UK national primary care database. Br J Gen Pract. 2020;70(693):e264-e273.
  • Jordan KP, Timmis A, Croft P, van der Windt DA, Denaxas S, Gonzalez-Izquierdo A, Hayward RA, Perez P, Hemingway, H. Prognosis of undiagnosed chest pain: linked electronic health record cohort study. BMJ 2017;357:j1194.
  • Muller S, Hider S, Machin A, Stack R, Hayward RA, Raza K, Mallen C. Searching for a prodrome for rheumatoid arthritis in the primary care record: A case-control study in the clinical practice research datalink. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019;48(5):815-820.
  • Paskins Z, Whittle R, Sultan AA, Muller S, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Helliwell T, Hider S, Roddy E, Mallen C. Risk of fracture among patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: a population-based study. BMC Med. 2018;16(1):4.
  • Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Mallen C, Muller S, Hayward R, West S, Choi H, Roddy E. The risk of gout among patients with sleep apnea: a matched cohort study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019;71(1):154-160.
  • Barber J, Muller S, Whitehurst T, Hay E. Measuring morbidity: self-report or health care records? Family Practice. 2010; 27:1:25-30. More information
  • Jordan K, Jinks C, Croft P. Health care utilization: measurement using primary care records and patient recall both showed bias, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2006;59:8:791-797. More information
  • Lacey RJ, Jordan KP, Croft PR. Does attrition during follow-up of a population cohort study inevitably lead to biased estimates of health status? PLoS ONE 2013; 8(12): e83948. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083948. More information
  • Bedson J, Chen Y, Ashworth J, Hayward RA, Walters K, Dunn KM, Jordan KP. Trends in long-term opioid prescribing in primary care patients with musculoskeletal conditions: an observational database study. Pain 2016;157(7):1525-31.
  • Bedson J, Belcher J, Matino OI, et al. The effectiveness of national guidance in changing analgesic prescribing in primary care from 2002 to 2009: an observational database study. Eur J Pain 2013;17:434-443. More information
  • Ashworth J, Green DJ, Dunn KM, Jordan KP. Opioid use among low back pain patients in primary care: Is opioid prescription associated with disability at 6 month follow-up? Pain 2013;154:7:1038-1044. More information.
  • Blagojevic M, Jinks C, Jordan KP. The influence of consulting primary care in knee pain in older people: a prospective cohort study, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2008;67:12:1702-1709. More information.
  • Chen Y, Farooq S, Edwards J, Chew-Graham CA, Shiers D, Frisher M, Hayward R, Sumathipala A, Jordan KP. Patterns of symptoms before a diagnosis of first episode psychosis: a latent class analysis of UK primary care electronic health records. BMC Med. 2019;17:227.
  • Strauss VY, Jones PW, Kadam UT, Jordan KP. Distinct trajectories of multimorbidity in primary care were identified using latent class growth analysis, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2014;67:10:1163-1171. More information.
  • Sultan AA, Mallen C, Muller S, Hider S, Scott I, Helliwell T, Hall LJ. Antibiotic use and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based case-control study. BMC Med. 2019;17(1):154.
  • Roughley M, Sultan AA, Clarson L, Muller S, Whittle R, Belcher J, Mallen CD, Roddy E. Risk of chronic kidney disease in patients with gout and the impact of urate lowering therapy: a population-based cohort study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20(1):243.