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Cost of chronic hepatitis B infection in China
Guan Zhiqiang1, Dong Zhaohui, Wang Qinhuan
1National Institute for Social Insurance, People's Republic of China. donghue@sohu.com
Insights
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection in China incurs significant medical costs, escalating with disease progression. Advanced stages like liver cirrhosis and cancer dramatically increase healthcare expenses, highlighting the need for cost-effective interventions.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology and viral gastroenterology
- Health economics and outcomes research
- Public health and epidemiology
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a significant public health concern in China, affecting an estimated 112 million individuals.
- The economic impact of CHB and its sequelae remains incompletely understood in this high-prevalence population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the direct medical costs associated with CHB infection and its complications in China.
- To characterize the economic burden across different stages of CHB disease progression.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records from CHB patients in Beijing, China.
- Estimation of healthcare utilization and costs for four illness stages: CHB infection, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Annual costs for inpatient, outpatient, and medication services were calculated in 2002 U.S. dollars.
Main Results:
- The average annual treatment costs per person varied significantly by disease stage.
- Costs were US$142 for CHB infection, US$185 for compensated cirrhosis, US$1702 for decompensated cirrhosis, and US$4741 for hepatocellular carcinoma.
- A clear trend of increasing costs with disease advancement was observed.
Conclusions:
- Disease progression in CHB is strongly associated with escalating healthcare expenditures.
- The study provides crucial cost estimates for CHB and its complications in China.
- These findings can inform the evaluation of intervention strategies and resource allocation for CHB management.
Goals:
The objective of this study was to estimate the direct medical costs associated with the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection and its complications in China.
Background:
CHB infection is a major health problem in China, with an estimated 112 million chronic carriers. However, the economic burden associated with CHB and its complications has not been well characterized.
Study:
A retrospective analysis of the medical records of a sample of patients with CHB from Beijing, China was conducted. The utilization and costs were estimated for four illness stages associated with CHB (CHB infection, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma). Annual utilization and costs were estimated for inpatient, outpatient, and medications for each illness stage and valued in year 2002 U.S. dollars (currency conversion was based on a 2002 exchange rate of 8.271 Chinese Yuan Renminbi = U.S. 1 dollar).
Results:
A total of 837 patients were identified for inclusion in the study. The average annual treatment costs per person were as follows: CHB, US 142 dollars; compensated cirrhosis, US 185 dollars; decompensated cirrhosis, US 1702 dollars; and hepatocellular carcinoma, US 4741 dollars.
Conclusions:
The results from this analysis provide estimates of the costs associated with CHB and its complications in China and show that progression of the disease is associated with increasing healthcare costs. These estimates can be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of intervention.
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