PRS26 - THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF ASTHMA IN ADULTS IN GREECE

Abstract

To assess the annual economic burden of asthma in adults in Greece as well as the factors that may influence this burden. A population-based, random-digit dialed, telephone nationwide survey was conducted to recruit patients with asthma in Greece (N=353). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data regarding demographic and lifestyle characteristics, presence of comorbidities, disease history, asthma control during the past 4 weeks through the Asthma Control Test (ACT), healthcare resource utilization during the past 12 months, out-of-pocket expenses for reasons related to their asthma as well as productivity loss during the past 12 months. Direct health care cost that reflects and encapsulates all the resource consumption incurred for the care of patients within the health care system was calculated. Indirect cost that reflects productivity losses caused by patients’ inability to work or because relatives need to take time off work to take care of them was also calculated. The total societal cost was calculated in €2017. The mean (95% CI) total annual cost per patient for asthma management from societal perspective was €895 (€620; €1015) with the direct and indirect cost accounting for almost 96% and 4% of the total cost, respectively. The total direct medical annual cost from societal perspective was mainly driven by the medication cost (48%), followed by the cost of laboratory and diagnostic tests (33%). The total annual costs from societal and payer perspective were found to be significantly higher in patients with not well-controlled asthma (ACT <20), in patients having had exacerbations and those with active symptoms of asthma during the previous 12 months. Our findings indicate that asthma control is strongly associated with the economic burden of asthma, demonstrating the need for the implementation of programs aiming at the management of chronic symptoms related to this condition.