Contrasting approaches to estimate the epidemiology of uveitis in Canadian health administrative data

Objective — This study aims to investigate the age- and sex-standardized incidence and prevalence of uveitis in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2021. By employing various case definitions, this research seeks to discern trends in uveitis occurrence and provide a comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology.

Methods — A retrospective cohort study utilizing health administrative data was conducted. Multiple case definitions were employed to capture the diverse epidemiological trends of uveitis. Annual age/sex standardized incidence and prevalence rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined using annual population denominators.

Results — The age- and sex-standardized incidence rates exhibited variations over the study period showing a general decline from 2000 to 2021, more notably in recent years. The case definition with one diagnosis code estimated an incidence per 100,000 people of 184.4 (95% CI: 181.5–187.2) in 2000 and 109.2 (95% CI: 107.4–110.9) in 2021. The standardized prevalence exhibited a consistent upward trend, with the case definition requiring “at least one diagnosis code ever” recording 1 998.3 (1 989.1–2 007.5) in 2000 and 2 761.2 (2 752.7–2 769.7) in 2021 per 100,000 people. Lower incidence and prevalence rates were observed when employing case definitions requiring more stringent criteria with additional uveitis-related health encounters.

Conclusions — The estimated trends showed declining standardized incidence, but a persistent increase in prevalence rates over time. These insights contribute valuable knowledge for health care professionals, policymakers, and researchers on the rising prevalence of uveitis and implications for planning for appropriate health care provisions to meet growing demands for uveitis care.