Cost of medical attention in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a preventable entity, when it develops the patient suffers severe complications, with a high economic impact for the patient and for health services.

To determine the cost of medical care in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Using a cost design, the files of patients with COPD who attended the pulmonology clinic were analyzed. The size of the sample (n = 265) was calculated with the formula of averages of a finite population. The sample units were captured with the simple random technique. The study variables were: sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of COPD, annual use profile, unit cost per service, total cost per service and total cost of medical care. The analysis plan included averages, percentages, confidence intervals and health expenditure projections.

The average annual cost of patient care with COPD was $ 89 479.08, of which $ 61 267.63 corresponded to medications. With a COPD prevalence of 25% in a population of 46 million, the calculated cost of care was $ 347 805 183 960.

The cost of medical care in patients with COPD was high, at the expense of medications.