scholarly journals Research HealthSWEDE: Costs With Sublingual Immunotherapy - A Swedish Questionnaire Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petter Olsson ◽  
Carl Sköder ◽  
Lars Ahlbeck ◽  
Frida Hjalte ◽  
Karl-Olof Welin ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe aim of this cross-sectional survey was to compare the health-economic consequences for allergic rhinitis (AR) patients treated with sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) in terms of direct and indirect costs with a reference population of patients receiving standard of care pharmacological therapy. MethodsPrimary objective was to analyse the health-economic consequences of SLIT for grass pollen allergy in Sweden vs reference group waiting for subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). A questionnaire was mailed to two groups of AR patients. ResultsThe questionnaire was distributed to 548 patients, 307 with SLIT and 241 in reference group (waiting for SCIT). Response rate was 53.8%. Mean annual costs were higher for reference patients than SLIT group; € 3907 (SD 4268) vs € 2084 (SD 1623) p < 0.001. Mean annual direct cost was higher for SLIT-patients, € 1191 (SD 465) than for reference, € 751 (SD 589) p< 0.001. Mean annual indirect costs for combined absenteeism and presenteeism were lower for patients treated with SLIT, € 912 (SD 1530), than for reference, € 3346 (SD 4120) p< 0.001, with presenteeism as main driver.ConclusionsSLIT seems to be a cost-beneficial way to treat seasonal AR. This information might be used to guide future recommendations.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petter Olsson ◽  
Carl Skröder ◽  
Lars Ahlbeck ◽  
Frida Hjalte ◽  
Karl-Olof Welin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to compare the health-economic consequences for allergic rhinitis (AR) patients treated with sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) in terms of direct and indirect costs with a reference population of patients receiving standard of care pharmacological therapy. Methods Primary objective was to analyse the health-economic consequences of SLIT for grass pollen allergy in Sweden vs reference group waiting for subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). A questionnaire was mailed to two groups of AR patients. Results The questionnaire was distributed to 548 patients, 307 with SLIT and 241 in reference group (waiting for SCIT). Response rate was 53.8%. Mean annual costs were higher for reference patients than SLIT group; € 3907 (SD 4268) vs € 2084 (SD 1623) p < 0.001. Mean annual direct cost was higher for SLIT-patients, € 1191 (SD 465) than for reference, € 751 (SD 589) p < 0.001. Mean annual indirect costs for combined absenteeism and presenteeism were lower for patients treated with SLIT, € 912 (SD 1530), than for reference, € 3346 (SD 4120) p < 0.001, with presenteeism as main driver. Conclusions SLIT seems to be a cost-beneficial way to treat seasonal AR. This information might be used to guide future recommendations.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e17562-e17562
Author(s):  
Manisha Bhattacharya ◽  
Erika Paige Hamilton ◽  
Yousuf Zafar

e17562 Background: Cancer incidence is increasing in India, where most patients lack health insurance. Little is known about how out-of-pocket costs affect cancer treatment decision-making by Indian physicians and patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of PPOs and NPPOs in 6 Indian metropolitan areas. Oncologists were surveyed about cost of care and cost discussions with patients. Descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact tests were used to describe differences in cost perceptions and discussions. Results: 59 oncologists were surveyed (61% response). 78% (n=46) were men. 59% (n=34) were PPOs, and 41% (n=25) were NPPOs. Oncologists routinely discussed cost with their patients (96%, n=57); PPOs and NPPOs were equally likely to do so (p=1.00). According to oncologists, patients seeing NPPOs or PPOs were equally likely to discuss costs before deciding on treatment (p=0.14). 55% (n=32/58) of oncologists discussed cost with patients before prescribing diagnostic tests, and 79% (n=46/58) discussed cost before making treatment decisions. PPOs were more likely than NPPOs to believe that costs may discourage patients from presenting for an initial cancer evaluation (88% vs. 44%; p=0.0009). However, 71% of NPPOs (vs 44% of PPOs; p=0.06) believed that, once diagnosed, more than half of their patients found costs to be a barrier to receiving standard care. Oncologists reported the most costly components of care for their patients to be: 1) chemotherapy; 2) radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging (tied); 4) surgery; 5) indirect costs from lost wages and inpatient admission (tied). When asked about how to reduce costs, oncologists identified: lowering chemotherapy prices (88%, n=52); judicious use/ lowering cost of diagnostics (36%, n=21); optimizing the referral process (22%, n=13). Insurance/subsidies were identified by 15% (n=8). Conclusions: Cost is routinely discussed by Indian patients and oncologists across care settings. Cost can be a deterrent to initial evaluation and a barrier to receiving standard care. Oncologists more commonly suggested reducing costs of diagnostics and therapeutics, rather than expanding insurance or changing referral practices.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Jiang ◽  
Liping Lu ◽  
Jianjun Hong ◽  
Xiaoping Jin ◽  
Qian Gao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although a free diagnosis and baseline treatment package was offered for tuberculosis (TB), hidden costs incurred by patients and their households could worsen their socio-economic and health status, particularly for migrants. We estimated the prevalence of catastrophic cost of TB patients and its associated factors in an urban population with internal migrants in China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to enroll culture-confirmed pulmonary TB patients in Songjiang district, Shanghai, between December 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015. Consenting participants completed a questionnaire, which collected direct and indirect costs before and after the diagnosis of TB. The catastrophic cost was defined as the annual expenses of TB care that exceeds 20% of total household income. We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with catastrophic costs. Results Overall, 248 drug-susceptible TB patients were enrolled, with 70% (174 of 248) of them being internal migrants. Migrant patients were significantly younger compared to resident patients. The total costs were 25,824 ($3,689) and 13,816 ($1,974) Chinese Yuan (RMB) for resident and internal migrant patients, respectively. The direct medical cost comprised about 70% of the total costs among both migrant and resident patients. Overall, 55% (132 of 248) of patients experienced high expenses ( > 10% of total household income), and 22% (55 of 248) experienced defined catastrophic costs. However, the reimbursement for TB care only reduced the prevalence of catastrophic costs to 20% (49 of 248). More than half of the internal migrants had no available health insurance (52%, 90 of 174). Hospitalizations, no available insurance, and older age contributed significantly to the occurrence of catastrophic costs. Conclusions. The catastrophic cost of TB service cannot be overlooked, despite the free policy. Migrants have difficulties benefiting from health insurance in urban cities. Interventions, including expanded medical financial assistance, are needed to secure universal TB care.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyson P. Bear ◽  
Wendy L. Bennett ◽  
Joanne Katz ◽  
Kyu Han Lee ◽  
Atique Iqbal Chowdhury ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Health care systems in limited resource settings may not meet the needs of pregnant women where the burden of diabetes and hypertension is rapidly increasing. We described screening and diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension among recently pregnant women in rural Bangladesh and the antenatal care received.Methods: We asked recently pregnant women about ever having been screened for or diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes and their antenatal care-seeking experiences in a cross-sectional survey in the Baliakandi, Bangladesh. We used chi-squared tests and logistic regression to test the associations between self-reported coverage of hypertension and diabetes screening, diagnoses, and elements of antenatal care by age, wealth, educational attainment, and gravidity. Results: Among 4,692 respondents, 97% reported having been screened and 10% of screened women reported a diagnosis of hypertension. Women 30–39 years of age (aOR 3.02, 95% CI 2.00, 4.56) or in the top wealth quintile (aOR 1.70, 95% CI 1.18, 2.44) were more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension compared to reference groups. Any hypertension diagnosis was associated with reporting four or more antenatal care contacts (44% vs. 35%, p < 0.01), blood pressure measurements (85% vs. 79%, p < 0.01), and urine (71% vs. 61%, p < 0.01) tests conducted during antenatal care visits.For diabetes, 46% of respondents reported having been screened and 3% of screened women reported a diagnosis. Women 30–39 years of age were more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes (aOR 8.19, 95% CI 1.74, 38.48) compared to the reference group. Any diabetes diagnosis was associate with reporting four or more antenatal care contacts (48% vs. 36%, p = 0.04) and having blood testing during pregnancy (83% vs. 66%, p < 0.01). However, the frequency and quality of antenatal care was below the national guidelines among all groups.Conclusion: Focused efforts to ensure that women receive the recommended number of antenatal care contacts, coupled with improved compliance with antenatal care guidelines (including universal screening for diabetes at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy), would improve awareness of hypertension and diabetes among women in Bangladesh.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e032303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Tuyet Mai Kieu ◽  
Hong Nhung Trinh ◽  
Huy Tuan Kiet Pham ◽  
Thanh Binh Nguyen ◽  
Junice Yi Siu Ng

ObjectiveThe prevalence of diabetes in Vietnam has increased from 2.5% in 2007 to 5.5% in 2017, but the burden of direct non-medical and indirect costs is unknown. The objective of this study was to estimate the direct non-medical costs and indirect costs due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications among Vietnam Health Insurance System (VHIS) enrollees in Vietnam.DesignThe first phase was a cross-sectional survey of patients with T2DM. In the second phase, data from the previous phase were used to predict direct non-medical costs and presenteeism costs of VHIS enrollees diagnosed with T2DM based on demographic and clinical characteristics in 2017. The human-capital approach was used for the calculation of indirect costs.Setting and participantsThis study recruited 315 patients from a national hospital, a provincial hospital and a district hospital aged 18 or above, diagnosed with T2DM, enrolled in VHIS, and having at least one visit to hospitals between 1 June and 30 July 2018. The VHIS dataset contained 1,395,204 patients with T2DM.Outcome measuresThe direct non-medical costs and presenteeism were collected from the survey. Absenteeism costs were estimated from the VHIS database. Costs of premature mortality were calculated based on the estimates from secondary sources.ResultsThe total direct non-medical and indirect costs were US$239 million in 2017. Direct non-medical costs were US$78 million, whereas indirect costs were US$161 million. Costs of absenteeism, presenteeism and premature mortality corresponded to 17%, 73% and 10% of the indirect costs. Patients incurred annual mean direct non-medical costs of US$56. Annual mean absenteeism and presenteeism costs for patients in working age were US$61 and US$267, respectively.ConclusionsThe impact of T2DM on direct non-medical and indirect costs on diabetes is substantial. Direct non-medical and absenteeism costs were higher in patients with complications.


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