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Poor control increases the economic cost of asthma. A multicentre population-based study
Simone Accordini1, Massimiliano Bugiani, Walter Arossa
1Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. simone.accordini@univr.it
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
|August 11, 2006
Summary
Asthma costs in young Italian adults are substantial, driven by indirect expenses. Targeting poorly controlled asthma cases can significantly reduce the economic burden.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Limited cost-of-illness (COI) studies exist for adult asthma at the individual level in general populations.
- Previous research has not fully captured the societal perspective of asthma costs in young adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the societal cost of current asthma in young Italian adults (20-44 years).
- To identify determinants of cost variation in adult asthma patients.
Main Methods:
- A COI study conducted in 2000 within the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults.
- Involved 527 current asthmatics from a general population sample of 15,591 subjects across seven Italian centers.
- Collected individual-level data on direct medical expenditures (DMEs) and indirect costs over the past 12 months.
Main Results:
- The mean annual cost per asthma patient was EUR 741, with indirect costs (57.2%) exceeding direct medical expenditures (42.8%).
- Medication costs constituted the largest DME component (47.3%), followed by hospitalization (23.0%).
- Poorly controlled asthma patients incurred significantly higher costs (EUR 1,341 annually) and were associated with chronic cough, phlegm, and lower socioeconomic status.
Conclusions:
- Asthma imposes substantial economic costs in Italy, even in unselected young adults, primarily due to indirect expenses.
- A significant portion of total costs is attributable to a small group of poorly controlled asthmatics.
- Targeted interventions for high-cost asthma patients could effectively reduce the overall economic burden of the disease.
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