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Smoking makes asthma expensive: a register-based study in Finland
P Ikäheimo1, T Tuuponen, J Kiuttu
1Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. pekka.ikaheimo@oulu.fi
Summary
Smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly increases healthcare costs for asthma patients. Quitting smoking is crucial for managing asthma comorbidities and reducing expenses.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Asthma patients, particularly smokers, frequently develop chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/emphysema.
- This comorbidity significantly impacts healthcare resource utilization and associated costs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the increased use of health services and costs in asthma patients with comorbid COPD/emphysema compared to those with asthma alone.
- To assess the financial burden of these comorbidities on healthcare systems.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 3160 adult asthma patients aged 40 years and older was analyzed.
- Data on comorbidity, healthcare utilization, and medication expenses were collected via questionnaires and national prescription registers.
Main Results:
- Asthma patients with COPD/emphysema (12% of the cohort) incurred 21% of doctor consultations and 39% of inpatient days.
- These patients accounted for 27% of total expenses, with mean annual costs of €2107 compared to €754 for asthma-only patients.
- Current smoking further escalated costs among patients with concurrent COPD/emphysema.
Conclusions:
- Pulmonary comorbidity in asthma patients leads to substantially higher healthcare costs.
- Integrating smoking cessation programs into asthma management is essential for preventing comorbidity and reducing healthcare expenditure.
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