Healthcare Costs Associated With Anabolic Steroid Use: A Cohort Study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use is linked to health risks, but its economic impact on healthcare systems is not well understood.
• Understanding the financial burden of AAS use is crucial for resource allocation and public health policy.
• Previous research has focused on health outcomes, with limited data on direct healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the direct healthcare costs associated with anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use.
• To compare healthcare expenditures between AAS users and a matched general population cohort.
• To quantify the excess healthcare costs attributable to AAS use over a 10-year period.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide register-based study in Denmark (2006-2017).
• Inclusion of 1183 males sanctioned for AAS use and 59,150 matched controls.
• Calculation of healthcare costs including primary care, hospital services, and prescription drugs.

Main Results:

• AAS users incurred significantly higher total healthcare costs, with a mean excess of €3299 per person over the follow-up period.
• This represents a 45% increase in costs compared to controls, averaging €537 more per AAS user annually.
• The cost difference was mainly driven by hospital care but also observed in primary care and prescription medication use, increasing steadily over time.

Conclusions:

• Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use is associated with a substantial and sustained increase in direct healthcare costs.
• The findings highlight a significant health burden and economic impact of AAS use, even in a relatively young population.
• Further long-term follow-up is needed to fully assess the cumulative healthcare costs, considering potential delayed complications.