Annals of Family Medicine: New Study Reveals Ambiguities in Disease Classification (ICD) Coding Practices That Complicate Regional Comparisons of Respiratory Infections
Findings Highlight Challenges in Using ICD Codes for Global Health Data Comparability and Future Pandemic Preparedness
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Findings from a new study published in Annals of Family Medicine reveal inconsistencies in how International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes are applied, which could complicate efforts to track respiratory infections and compare health data across regions. These issues may have significant implications for managing future pandemics beyond COVID-19.
Titled 'Breaking ICD Codes: Identifying Ambiguous Respiratory Infection Codes via Regional Diagnosis Heterogeneity,' the study analyzed weekly national diagnosis data for acute respiratory infections in Poland. Covering all 380 county-equivalent administrative regions and encompassing 292 million consultations, the findings highlight ambiguities in coding practices.
Key Findings
- Significant differences in diagnoses were observed across regions, even after separating data into age groups. This variability cannot be explained by different health care utilization, given the shifting proportions of diagnoses with similar severity.
- There were numerous pairs of strongly negatively correlated codes implying classification ambiguity. For example, the ICD code J06 (acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites), was used almost interchangeably with a diverse range of others, especially J00 (common cold) and J20 (bronchitis).
The findings suggest that ICD codes, while designed to standardize global health data, have ambiguities that limit their effectiveness. These issues can hinder their ability to generate comparable data across regions and complicate their use in government health planning. Such variability in diagnostic coding poses challenges for public health, especially when consistent and accurate data are critical for preparing and responding to pandemics.
Article Cited:
Marcin Piotr Walkowiak, PhD; Dariusz Walkowiak, PhD; Jarosław Walkowiak, MD, Professor
Read the full article and explore visual abstracts at www.AnnFamMed.org
Annals of Family Medicine is an open access, peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines. Launched in May 2003, Annals of Family Medicine is sponsored by seven family medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, the North American Primary Care Research Group, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Annals of Family Medicine is published online six times each year, charges no fee for publication, and contains original research from the clinical, biomedical, social, and health services areas, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays, and editorials. Complete editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed for free on the journal's website, www.AnnFamMed.org.
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SOURCE Annals of Family Medicine