Academic literature on the topic 'Epidemiology, health economics, cost-of-illness, respiratory diseases'

SUMMARY Pertussis, an acute respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, classically manifests as a protracted cough illness. The incidence of pertussis in the United States has been increasing in recent years. Immunity wanes after childhood vaccination, leaving adolescents and adults susceptible to infection. The transmission of pertussis in health care settings has important medical and economic consequences. Acellular pertussis booster vaccines are now available for use and have been recommended for all adolescents and adults. These vaccines are safe, immunogenic, and effective. Health care workers are a priority group for vaccination because of their increased risk of acquiring infection and the potential to transmit pertussis to high-risk patients. Health care worker vaccination programs are likely to be cost-effective, but further research is needed to determine the acceptability of pertussis vaccines among health care workers, the duration of immunity after booster doses, and the impact of vaccination on the management of pertussis exposures in health care settings.

Abstract Background Pregnant women are at increased risk of seasonal influenza hospitalizations, but data about the epidemiology of severe influenza among pregnant women remain largely limited to pandemics. Methods To describe the epidemiology of hospitalizations for acute respiratory infection or febrile illness (ARFI) and influenza-associated ARFI among pregnant women, administrative and electronic health record data were analyzed from retrospective cohorts of pregnant women hospitalized with ARFI who had testing for influenza viruses by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in Australia, Canada, Israel, and the United States during 2010–2016. Results Of 18 048 ARFI-coded hospitalizations, 1064 (6%) included RT-PCR testing for influenza viruses, 614 (58%) of which were influenza positive. Of 614 influenza-positive ARFI hospitalizations, 35% were in women with low socioeconomic status, 20% with underlying conditions, and 67% in their third trimesters. The median length of influenza-positive hospitalizations was 2 days (interquartile range, 1–4), 18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15%–21%) resulted in delivery, 10% (95% CI, 8%–12%) included a pneumonia diagnosis, 5% (95% CI, 3%–6%) required intensive care, 2% (95% CI, 1%–3%) included a sepsis diagnosis, and <1% (95% CI, 0%–1%) resulted in respiratory failure. Conclusions Our findings characterize seasonal influenza hospitalizations among pregnant women and can inform assessments of the public health and economic impact of seasonal influenza on pregnant women.

SUMMARYWe investigated the cost-effectiveness of different influenza control strategies in a school setting in Taiwan. A susceptible-exposure-infected-recovery (SEIR) model was used to simulate influenza transmission and we used a basic reproduction number (R0)–asymptomatic proportion (θ) control scheme to develop a cost-effectiveness model. Based on our dynamic transmission model and economic evaluation, this study indicated that the optimal cost-effective strategy for all modelling scenarios was a combination of natural ventilation and respiratory masking. The estimated costs were US$10/year per person in winter for one kindergarten student. The cost for hand washing was estimated to be US$32/year per person, which was much lower than that of isolation (US$55/year per person) and vaccination (US$86/year per person) in containing seasonal influenza. Transmission model-based, cost-effectiveness analysis can be a useful tool for providing insight into the impacts of economic factors and health benefits on certain strategies for controlling seasonal influenza.

BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. In 2014, the United Nations committed to reducing premature mortality from NCDs, including by reducing the burden of healthcare costs. Since 2014, the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study has been collecting health expenditure data from households with NCDs in 18 countries.MethodsUsing data from the PURE Study, we estimated risk of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment among households with at least one person with NCDs (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and respiratory diseases; n=17 435), with hypertension only (a leading risk factor for NCDs; n=11 831) or with neither (n=22 654) by country income group: high-income countries (Canada and Sweden), upper middle income countries (UMICs: Brazil, Chile, Malaysia, Poland, South Africa and Turkey), lower middle income countries (LMICs: the Philippines, Colombia, India, Iran and the Occupied Palestinian Territory) and low-income countries (LICs: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Tanzania) and China.ResultsThe prevalence of catastrophic spending and impoverishment is highest among households with NCDs in LMICs and China. After adjusting for covariates that might drive health expenditure, the absolute risk of catastrophic spending is higher in households with NCDs compared with no NCDs in LMICs (risk difference=1.71%; 95% CI 0.75 to 2.67), UMICs (0.82%; 95% CI 0.37 to 1.27) and China (7.52%; 95% CI 5.88 to 9.16). A similar pattern is observed in UMICs and China for impoverishment. A high proportion of those with NCDs in LICs, especially women (38.7% compared with 12.6% in men), reported not taking medication due to costs.ConclusionsOur findings show that financial protection from healthcare costs for people with NCDs is inadequate, particularly in LMICs and China. While the burden of NCD care may appear greatest in LMICs and China, the burden in LICs may be masked by care foregone due to costs. The high proportion of women reporting foregone care due to cost may in part explain gender inequality in treatment of NCDs.

AbstractObjective:To model the economic costs of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in New Zealand, by type of HAI.Design:Monte Carlo simulation model.Setting:Auckland District Health Board Hospitals (DHBH), the largest publicly funded hospital group in New Zealand supplying secondary and tertiary services. Costs are also estimated for predicted HAIs in admissions to all hospitals in New Zealand.Patients:All adults admitted to general medical and general surgical services.Method:Data on the number of cases of HAI were combined with data on the estimated prolongation of hospital stay due to HAI to produce an estimate of the number of bed days attributable to HAI. A cost per bed day value was applied to provide an estimate of the economic cost. Costs were estimated for predicted infections of the urinary tract, surgical wounds, the lower and upper respiratory tracts, the bloodstream, and other sites, and for cases of multiple sites of infection. Sensitivity analyses were undertaken for input variables.Results:The estimated costs of predicted HAIs in medical and surgical admissions to Auckland DHBH were $10.12 (US $4.56) million and $8.64 (US $3.90) million, respectively. They were $51.35 (US $23.16) million and $85.26 (US $38.47) million, respectively, for medical and surgical admissions to all hospitals in New Zealand.Conclusions:The method used produces results that are less precise than those of a specifically designed study using primary data collection, but has been applied at a lower cost. The estimated cost of HAIs is substantial, but only a proportion of infections can be avoided. Further work is required to identify the most cost-effective strategies for the prevention of HAI.

Objectives. To characterize the current economic burden of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and to determine which services increase the cost of VAP in North American hospitals. Design and Setting. We performed a retrospective, matched cohort analysis of mechanically ventilated patients enrolled in the North American Silver-Coated Endotracheal Tube (NASCENT) study, a prospective, randomized study conducted from 2002 to 2006 in 54 medical centers, including 45 teaching institutions (83.3%). Methods. Case patients with microbiologically confirmed VAP (n = 30) were identified from 542 study participants with claims data and were matched by use of a primary diagnostic code, and subsequently by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, to control patients without VAP (n = 90). Costs were estimated by applying hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios based on all-payer inpatient costs associated with VAP diagnosis-related groups. Results. Median total charges per patient were $198,200 for case patients and $96,540 for matched control patients (P <.001); corresponding median hospital costs were $76,730 for case patients and $41,250 for control patients (P = .001). After adjusting for diagnosis-related group payments, median losses to hospitals were $32,140 for case patients and $19,360 for control patients (P = .151). The median duration of intubation was longer for case patients than for control patients (10.1 days vs 4.7 days; P < .001), as were the median duration of intensive care unit stay (18.5 days vs 8.0 days; P < .001) and the median duration of hospitalization (26.5 days vs 14.0 days; P < .001). Examples of services likely to be directly related to VAP and having higher median costs for case patients were hospital care (P < .05) and respiratory therapy (P < .05). Conclusions. VAP was associated with increased hospital costs, longer duration of hospital stay, and a higher number of hospital services being affected, which underscores the need for bundled measures to prevent VAP. Trial Registration. NASCENT study ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00148642.

Studies evaluating the relationship between microbes and human health at non-point source beaches are necessary for establishing criteria which would protect public health while minimizing economic burdens. The objective of this study was to evaluate water quality and daily cumulative health effects (gastrointestinal, skin, and respiratory illnesses) for bathers at a non-point source subtropical marine recreational beach in order to better understand the inter-relationships between these factors and hence improve monitoring and pollution prevention techniques. Daily composite samples were collected, during the Oceans and Human Health Beach Exposure Assessment and Characterization Health Epidemiologic Study conducted in Miami (Florida, USA) at a non-point source beach, and analyzed for several pathogens, microbial source tracking markers, indicator microbes, and environmental parameters. Analysis demonstrated that rainfall and tide were more influential, when compared to other environmental factors and source tracking markers, in determining the presence of both indicator microbes and pathogens. Antecedent rainfall and F+ coliphage detection in water should be further assessed to confirm their possible association with skin and gastrointestinal (GI) illness outcomes, respectively. The results of this research illustrate the potential complexity of beach systems characterized by non-point sources, and how more novel and comprehensive approaches are needed to assess beach water quality for the purpose of protecting bather health.

Introduction. Acute respiratory viral and pneumococcal infections, the incidence of which is associated with high economic costs, are one of the most important problems in epidemiology and pulmonology. Preventive vaccination is a tool for managing the incidence of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) and pneumococcal infections. The issues of medical and economic efficiency of preventive vaccination are constantly in the field of epidemiological surveillance, and the estimates obtained in this case are a necessary condition for making decisions on the viability of investing in its organization.Aim. Expert assessment and predictive modeling of the potential cost-effectiveness of vaccination with pneumococcal and influenza vaccines in immunocompetent adult patients with different levels of risk of acute and chronic respiratory diseases among the builders of the Amur Gas Processing Plant (GPP).Materials and methods. A complex of studies was carried out using the methods of statistics, epidemiological analysis and monitoring, comparative and economic analysis. Determination of the economic profitability of vaccination was carried out on the basis of methods of comparing “costs” and “benefits”. The surveyed cohort is represented by adults working on the construction of the Amur GPP (Svobodny, Amur Region). The main risk factors and inclusion criteria were the conditions of adverse effects of occupational, social and biological factors on human respiratory health. A set of preventive measures was carried out using methods and means of specific prevention of acute and chronic respiratory diseases: anti-influenza (Ultrix Quadri) and pneumococcal (Prevenar-13) vaccines. Efficacy analysis was carried out for 20-, 40- and 60-year-old patients with 1, 2 and 3 risk factors in accordance with the methods of its medical, social and economic evaluation. A retrospective determination of the cases of diseases (deaths) and economic damage prevented as a result of vaccination was carried out on the basis of the difference in morbidity (mortality) rates for the period preceding vaccination and for the period following vaccination. When constructing a predictive model for evaluating the effectiveness of vaccine prevention of respiratory infections, expert assessments, legal documents and the methodology of individual researchers were used.Results. The predicted incidence of pneumonia among the builders of the Amur GPP, taking into account all risk factors, can be 32.3‰. At the same time, the total volume of prevented predictive incidence of pneumonia in the post-vaccination period only with the use of pneumococcal vaccine can be 26.5‰, reducing the initial incidence rate by 5.5 times. As a result of the calculations and economic assessment, it was found that the total (direct and indirect) economic costs of the state and the plant (economic damage) with the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia in the working-age population (20-60 years) on the territory of this construction site is 112,811 rubles. per person per year. Consequently, the prevented economic damage among the employees and builders of the Amur GPP only as a result of the use of the pneumococcal vaccine “Prevenar-13” is 13,537,411 rubles. In addition, immunoprophylaxis with the use of influenza vaccines can reduce the incidence of influenza, ARVI, pneumonia and chronic forms of respiratory diseases, which corresponds to additional prevented economic damage to the plant in the amount of 103,786,764 rubles. Thus, the predicted total prevented economic damage for this plant as a result of vaccination may amount to 117,324,175 rubles.Conclusion. The results of the studies indicate that the implementation of the Program for the Prevention of Acute Respiratory Diseases by means of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines among the builders of the Amur GPP has a high level of medical and socio-economic efficiency, identified on the basis of its predictive modeling and expert assessments.