International Variations in a Selected Number of Surgical Procedures

This paper summarises recent international data on rates of five surgical procedures (i.e. caesarean, hysterectomy, prostatectomy, hip replacement and appendectomy) across OECD countries. It examines trends over time and compares age- and sex-specific rates for a recent year, for a sub-set of countries for which data are available. The report shows substantial international variations for most procedures, but also striking similarities between countries; some procedures show universal trends, with trends in rates by sex and age behaving in very similar ways. A full understanding of the reasons for and consequences of different utilisation rates demands a detailed understanding of patterns of illness and…

• UO
  University of Oxford