Associations between health-related quality of life and health care costs among children with atopic dermatitis and their caregivers: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is associated with a decreased health-related quality of life and contributes to substantial health care costs. It is important to understand what accelerates health care costs to inform various stakeholders, so they can effectively meet health care needs. This cross-sectional study aims to explore associations between health-related quality of life, health care costs, and cost-accelerating variables. Information on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was collected through generic and disease-specific instruments from caregivers and children <16years of age with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. The economic impact of atopic dermatitis was evaluated by analyzing information on health service utilization and other health care costs related to managing the condition. Children with high impact on health-related quality of life presented an annual health care cost of US$3787 compared with US$2548 for moderately impacted and US$2258 among children for which the condition had low impact. The severity of atopic dermatitis, disease duration, and a lower health-related quality of life was associated with greater health care costs. Analyses of subdomains of health-related quality of life revealed correlations between "mood" and "personal relationships" on one hand and caregivers' physical health and health care costs on the other hand. Highly affected HRQoL is associated with increased health care costs and could be a valuable complement to traditional severity assessments. By using HRQoL instruments, burdens and symptoms beyond severity can be identified and addressed with interventions to increase HRQoL and subsequently reduce health care costs.