Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran
مجله پزشکی جمهوری اسلامی ایران
Med J Islam Repub Iran
Medical Sciences
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir
2
journal2
1016-1430
2251-6840
8
10.18869/mjiri
14
8888
13
en
jalali
1398
11
1
gregorian
2020
2
1
34
1
online
1
fulltext
en
Medical costs of osteoporosis in the Iranian elderly patients
Health Management and Economics
Health Management and Economics
Original Research
Original Research
<strong> </strong><strong> Background: </strong>In the coming years and near future, Iran will experience a main demographic transition resulting in an aging phenomenon and increased number of people over 65 years. Aging leads to increased medical expenditures associated with chronic diseases such as osteoporosis. This study aimed to investigate the patient-specific hospitalization costs of osteoporosis treatment in elderly patients.<br>
<strong>Methods:</strong> A retrospective cost analysis of hospitalization arising from osteoporosis conducted on all the elderly patients (adults aged 65 years and above) in a teaching hospital in Tehran through examining hospital admissions during 2017. The elderly patients consisted of 295 with a length of stay ≥ 24 hours. Cost analysis was performed using a bottom-up micro-costing approach and payer perspective (patient and insurer); and the result was statistically significant (p≤0.05). Nonparametric tests, including Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, were used to investigate the relationship between affecting variables. Hospital training was considered as a control variable. The data were analyzed using SPSS 11 software<br>
<strong>Results:</strong> The mean age of the patients was 71.3 years; of the patients, 79% were female and 21% male. The overall crude prevalence of osteoporosis was 80% among people ≥ 65 years and 85% among patients who experienced relevant surgeries. The average cost of hospitalization was $3794.13. Also, 3 main areas of hospital costs were identified: consumables (57.70%), hoteling (17.24%), and surgical services (15.76%). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 4 times higher in women compared with men. Moreover, there were significant differences between the variables affecting hospital costs, such as gender, length of stay, diagnosis, intensive care unit services, and surgery (p<0.05).<br>
<strong>Conclusion:</strong> Age-associated diseases such as osteoporosis increase the health care costs. The dominant cost drivers in this study were the consumables, hoteling, and surgical services, respectively. Policymakers and health care planners should consider such variables as gender, previous surgeries in the patients’ records, length of stay, and intensive care unit services as driving factors and determinants of hospital costs for older seniors with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis, Elderly, Hospital costs, Fractures
261
265
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1759-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1
Vahid
Alipour
vahid.alipoor1360@yahoo.com
200319475328460063881
200319475328460063881
No
Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zahra
Meshkani
meshkani.z@tak.iums.ac.ir
200319475328460063882
200319475328460063882
Yes
Department of Health Economics, School of Health Management and Information Science, Iran University of medical Science, Tehran, Iran
Aziz
Rezapour
rezapoor_a57@yahoo.com
200319475328460063883
200319475328460063883
No
Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali
Aboutorabi
a.abutorabi@yahoo.com
200319475328460063884
200319475328460063884
No
Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Rafat
Bagherzadeh
nazilabagherzadeh@gmail.com
200319475328460063885
200319475328460063885
No
English Department, School of Health Management & Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Naser
Saber
naser.saber1373@gmail.com
200319475328460063886
200319475328460063886
No
Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran