Abstract

FERNANDEZ-PLATA, Rosario et al. Methods for estimating health costs of COPD: baseline results. Neumol. cir. torax [online]. 2016, vol.75, n.1, pp.4-11. ISSN 0028-3746.

Background: The PLATINO study developed in Mexico City (2003) showed a COPD prevalence of 7.8% in individuals 40 years of age and older. In Mexico, there is no published information concerning direct and indirect health related costs for patients with COPD. Objective: To measure direct and indirect costs of outpatients with COPD at a tertiary-level hospital in Mexico. Material and methods: We recruited outpatients with diagnosis of COPD during one year. At base-line interview we asked about out of pocket health expenses for the last year previous to enrollment. Costs for the hospital were registered as well. For this study, we analyzed costs in 2014 US dollars for the last year previous enrollment in patients with > 12 months of being diagnosed stratified by GOLD categories. Results: We enrolled 611 outpatients with COPD, of whom 483 had a time of diagnosis > 12 months. The medians of annual direct costs to patients by GOLD were: $1,116, mild; $1,533, moderate; $1,825, severe, and $2,245, very severe. The differences among the medias of annual direct cost were statically signified (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Direct out of pocket costs increased with COPD severity and were due to drugs, oxygen, and accommodations mainly. It is important to have a standardized methodology to make the results comparable.

Keywords : COPD; direct costs; indirect costs; out-of-pocket expenses.