Decreasing COPD-related incidences and hospital admissions in a German health insurance population.
Sci Rep
; 13(1): 21293, 2023 12 02.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38042961
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with smoking and work-related health hazards. Most studies have reported prevalences, and the number of studies examining incidences and social inequalities is small. We analyzed the development of social inequalities of COPD-incidences in terms of income and exacerbations in terms of hospital admissions. Findings were based on claims data from a German statutory health insurance covering 2008 to 2019. Outpatient diagnoses were used for defining COPD-cases, hospital admissions were used for detecting exacerbations. Analyses were performed using Cox-regression. Individual incomes were depicted at three levels defined according to national averages for each year. Data of 3,040,137 insured men and women were available. From 2008 to 2019 COPD-incidences in men decreased by 42% and 47% in women. After stratification by income the reduction at the lowest income level was 41% and 50% in women. Respectively, at the highest income level reductions were 28% and 41%. Disease exacerbations decreased over time, and also social inequalities between income groups emerged. COPD-rates decreased over time at all income levels, but at a faster pace in the lowest income group, thus leading to a positive development of diminishing social gradients in men as well as in women.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica
/
Hospitalización
Límite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Sci Rep
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania