England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time perioda | Number of monthly observations | Diagnoses, median (IQR) | Number of monthly observations | Diagnoses, median (IQR) | Number of monthly observations | Diagnoses, median (IQR) |
Pre-introduction | 75 | 0.29 (0.19–0.41) | 75 | 0.54 (0.00–0.98) | 75 | 0.31 (0.00–0.63) |
Post-introduction | 162 | 1.15 (0.73–1.69) | 162 | 0.91 (0.37–1.72) | 120 | 1.14 (0.68–1.54) |
Post-removal | – | – | – | – | 42 | 0.26 (0.16–0.50) |
Whole study period | 237 | 0.74 (0.32–1.36) | 237 | 0.76 (0.32–1.51) | 237 | 0.64 (0.27–1.22) |
a Pre-introduction of QOF was from January 2000–March 2016, introduction of the QOF was in April 2006 and removal of the QOF (in Scotland only) was in April 2016. Evidence of difference of resolved AF rates across time periods in England and Northern Ireland (Mann–Whitney tests, P<0.001) and in Scotland (Kruskal–Wallis test, P<0.001).