Abstract
BackgroundInfluenza-related hospitalizations impose a considerable economic and social burden. This study aimed to better understand the economic burden of influenza-related hospitalizations among patients in China in different age and risk categories.MethodsLaboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations between December 2009 and June 2011 from three hospitals participating in the Chinese Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) sentinel surveillance system were included in this study. Hospital billing data were collected from each hospital’s Hospital Information System (HIS) and divided into five cost categories. Demographic and clinical information was collected from medical records. Mean (range) and median (interquartile range [IQR]) costs were calculated and compared among children (≤15 years), adults (16–64 years) and elderly (≥65 years) groups. Factors influencing cost were analyzed.ResultsA total of 106 laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations were identified, 60% of which were children. The mean (range) direct medical cost was $1,797 ($80–$27,545) for all hospitalizations, and the median (IQR) direct medical cost was $231 ($164), $854 ($890), and $2,263 ($7,803) for children, adults, and elderly, respectively. Therapeutics and diagnostics were the two largest components of direct medical cost, comprising 57% and 23%, respectively. Cost of physician services was the lowest at less than 1%.ConclusionDirect medical cost of influenza-related hospitalizations imposes a heavy burden on patients and their families in China. Further study is needed to provide more comprehensive evidence on the economic burden of influenza. Our study highlights the need to increase vaccination rate and develop targeted national preventive strategies.
Highlights
Influenza viral infections are responsible for respiratory illnesses resulting in substantial morbidity and increased health care utilization and cost [1]
The Chinese Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) sentinel surveillance network was established during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic to monitor influenza-related diseases, identify possible risk factors for severe disease, and determine the etiological characteristics of influenza virus circulating in China [9]
We retrospectively included 71 influenza-related hospitalizations among 560 SARI cases reported between December 2009 and December 2010
Summary
Influenza viral infections are responsible for respiratory illnesses resulting in substantial morbidity and increased health care utilization and cost [1]. Influenza causes an annual 3 million cases of illness and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths globally [2]. Research has demonstrated substantial mortality associated with influenza-related illnesses in both temperate and subtropical areas of China [3]. The annual influenza-associated excess mortality was 18.0 (range: 10.9–32.7) and 11.3 (range: 7.3–17.8) deaths per 100,000 people in northern and southern cities, respectively [3]. Only a small proportion of influenza infections required hospitalization, they imposed considerable economic and social burden [4,5]. Influenza-related hospitalizations impose a considerable economic and social burden. This study aimed to better understand the economic burden of influenza-related hospitalizations among patients in China in different age and risk categories
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