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Direct and indirect costs of paediatric asthma in the UK: a cost analysis
Charlotte T Kennedy1, Graham S Scotland2, Seonaidh Cotton3
1Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Insights
Paediatric asthma significantly burdens the UK National Health Service (NHS) and society, with high costs per attack and annual expenses. Improving asthma control in children could lead to substantial cost savings.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Paediatric Respiratory Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
- The economic impact of paediatric asthma on healthcare systems and society is substantial but requires detailed estimation.
- Understanding cost determinants is crucial for effective resource allocation and intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the economic burden of paediatric asthma from both a UK National Health Service (NHS) and a broader societal perspective.
- To identify key factors influencing healthcare and indirect costs associated with childhood asthma.
Main Methods:
- A cost analysis was conducted using data from a large clinical trial (2017-2019).
- Healthcare resource utilization and productivity losses were recorded over 12 months.
- National unit cost data were integrated to estimate health service and indirect costs.
Main Results:
- The mean cost per asthma attack was £297, with a mean annual NHS cost of £1086 per child.
- Annual indirect costs, including school and work absences, averaged £412.
- Costs escalated with the number of asthma attacks and participant age, while indirect costs were lower in older children.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric asthma imposes a significant economic burden on the NHS, families, and society.
- Effective asthma management and control strategies have the potential to generate considerable cost savings.
Objective:
To estimate the cost of paediatric asthma from a UK National Health Service (NHS) and societal perspective and explore determinants of these costs.
Design:
Cost analysis based on data from a large clinical trial between 2017 and 2019. Case report forms recorded healthcare resource use and productivity losses attributable to asthma over a 12-month period. These were combined with national unit cost data to generate estimates of health service and indirect costs.
Setting:
Asthma clinics in primary and secondary care in England and Scotland.
Main Outcome Measures:
Cost per asthma attack stratified by highest level of care received. Total annual health service and indirect costs. Modelled effect of sex, age, severity, number of attacks and adherence on total annual costs.
Results:
Of 506 children included in the analysis, 252 experienced at least one attack. The mean (SD) cost per attack was £297 (806) (median £46, IQR 40-138) and the mean total annual cost to the NHS was £1086 (2504) (median £462, IQR 296-731). On average, children missed 6 days of school and their carers missed 13 hours of paid work, contributing to a mean annual indirect cost of £412 (879) (median £30, IQR 0-477). Health service costs increased significantly with number of attacks and participant age (>11 years). Indirect costs increased with asthma severity and number of attacks but were found to be lower in older children.
Conclusions:
Paediatric asthma imparts a significant economic burden on the health service, families and society. Efforts to improve asthma control may generate significant cost savings.
Trial Registration Number:
ISRCTN 67875351.
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