Economic burden of highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients in the French national health insurance database.

BACKGROUND: As healthcare management of highly active-relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (HA-RRMS) patients is more complex than for the whole multiple sclerosis (MS) population, this study assessed the related economic burden from a National Health Insurance's (NHI's) perspective. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Study based on French NHI databases, using individual data on billing and reimbursement of outpatient and hospital healthcare consumption, paid sick leave and disability pension, over 2010-2017. RESULTS: Of the 9,596 HA-RRMS adult patients, data from 7,960 patients were analyzed with at least 2 years of follow-up. Mean annual cost/patient was €29,813. Drugs represented 40% of the cost, hospital care 33%, disability pensions 9%, and all healthcare professionals' visits combined 8%. Among 3,024 patients under 60 years-old with disability pension, disability pension cost €7,168/patient/year. Among 3,807 patients with paid sick leave, sick leave cost €1,956/patient/year. Mean costs were €2,246/patient higher the first year and increased by €1,444 between 2010 and 2015, with a €5,188 increase in drug-related expenditures and a €634 increase in healthcare professionals' visits expenditures but a €4,529 decrease in hospital care expenditures. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of health care sick leaves, and disability pensions of HA-RRMS patients was about twice as high as previously reported cost of MS patients.

Surto de conjuntivite aguda no período de 2017-2018 em Recife, Brasil / Outbreak of acute conjunctivitis in the period 2017-2018 in Recife, Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil clínico, epidemiológico e o impacto econômico do surto de conjuntivite no período 2017-2018 no município de Recife-PE. Métodos: Estudo transversal com base na análise de prontuários de pacientes com diagnóstico de conjuntivite, atendidos na emergência da Fundação Altino Ventura entre dezembro/2017 e março/2018. Os dados coletados incluíram manifestações oculares no exame, complicações subsequentes, manejo e dias de licença médica. Resultados: Dos 12.712 pacientes atendidos na FAV entre dezembro de 2017 e março de 2018, 6.359 (50,0%) foram diagnosticados com conjuntivite, dos quais 3.543 pacientes (55,7%) foram atendimentos únicos. A média de idade dos pacientes ao atendimento foi de 29,5 ± 14,1 anos (variação, 1-85 anos), com distribuição semelhante entre os sexos (2.288 casos [50,1%] masculino; 2.282 casos [49,9%] feminino). O diagnóstico mais comum foi conjuntivite sem pseudomembrana (5.645 casos [88,8%]). Hiperemia conjuntival (6.278 casos [98,7%]) e reação folicular (6.255 casos [98,4%]) foram os achados mais frequentes ao exame. A complicação mais frequente foi pseudomembrana (1.062 casos [16,7%]). Os colírios lubrificantes (4.308 [67,7%]) e os colírios de associação antibiótico com corticoide (2.033 [32%]) foram os mais prescritos no tratamento. A média de dias de atestado médico foi de 4,8 ± 2,9 dias (variação, 1- 47 dias) e a perda de produtividade estimada em R$1.159.329,14. Conclusão: O surto de conjuntivite em Pernambuco foi responsável por metade das consultas em um pronto-socorro oftalmológico. Surtos de conjuntivite podem causar um impacto econômico, uma vez que afeta principalmente adultos jovens em idade produtiva. As características clínicas observadas sugerem um surto de conjuntivite de etiologia viral.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the epidemiological and clinical profile and economic impact of the acute conjunctivitis outbreak in the period of 2017-2018 in Recife-PE. Methods: Cross-sectional study based on the analysis of medical records of patients diagnosed with conjunctivitis at the emergency room of the Altino Ventura Foundation (FAV) between December 2017 and March 2018. The collected data included ocular manifestations at examination, subsequent complications, management, and days of sick leave. Results: Out of 12,712 patients assisted at FAV from December 2017 to March 2018, 6,359 (50.0%) were diagnosed with conjunctivitis. The mean age of patients was 29.5 ± 14.1 years (range, 01-85 years), with similar distribution between sex (2,288 50.1% male; 2,282 49.9% female). The most common diagnosis was non-pseudomembranous conjunctivitis (5,645 cases 88.8%). Conjunctival hyperemia (6,278 cases 98.7%) and follicular reaction (6,255 cases 98.4%) were the most frequent ocular findings. The most common complication was pseudomembrane in 1,062 cases (16.7%). Lubricants (4,308 67.7%) and antibiotic associated to corticosteroid eyedrops (2,033 32.0%) were the most prescribed medications. The average days of sick leave per patient was 4.8 ± 2.9 days (range, 1- 47 days) and the productivity loss estimated in R$1.159.329,14. Conclusion: The conjunctivitis outbreak in Pernambuco, Brazil was responsible for half of the consultations in an ophthalmic emergency room. Conjunctivitis outbreaks may cause an economic impact as it mostly affects young adults in their productive ages and take in average a 5-day sick leave. The clinical characteristics observed suggest an outbreak of conjunctivitis of viral etiology.

Usual care including home exercise with versus without spa therapy for chronic low back pain: protocol for the LOMBATHERM' study, a multicentric randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is highly prevalent and a major source of disability worldwide. Spa therapy is frequently used to treat low back pain, but the associated level of evidence for efficacy is insufficient. To fill this knowledge gap, this protocol proposes an appropriately powered, prospective, evaluator-blinded, multi-centre, two-parallel-arm, randomised (1:1), controlled trial that will compare spa therapy in addition to usual care including home exercise (UCHE) versus UCHE alone for the treatment of chronic low back pain. METHODS: Eligible patients (anticipated sample size of 358) will have had low back pain for more than 3 months and scores for pain greater than 40 mm on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Following initial consent for UCHE and baseline evaluations, patients are randomised (1:1) to UCHE alone, or UCHE plus spa therapy (18 days of mud packs, underwater massages, showers and water exercises under medical supervision). Patients in the latter arm will be requested to sign an additional consent form as per Zelen randomisation. Follow-up visits will occur at approximately months 1, 6 and 12 and (along with baseline assessments) will cover changes over time in VAS pain scores, the impact of lower back pain on daily life (the Rolland and Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)), inappropriate fears and beliefs about lower back pain (the fear, avoidance, belief questionnaire (FABQ)), general quality of life (the Euroqol Group 5 dimension, 5 level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5 L)), Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), consumption of analgesic drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and overall state of health. Health resource use and days of sick leave (and subsequently the associated costs) will also be recorded. The primary outcome is the presence/absence of a clinically relevant change (improvement of at least 30%) in the VAS score for pain at 6 months. DISCUSSION: Despite the fact that previous, rather dated recommendations encourage spa therapy for the treatment of low back pain, the current literary corpus is methodologically poor. This protocol has been designed to provide results spanning a thorough range of outcomes at the highest evidence level possible. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03910023. Registered on 10 April 2019.

Structured physiotherapy including a work place intervention for patients with neck and/or back pain in primary care: an economic evaluation.

A cluster-randomized controlled trial, WorkUp, was conducted for working-aged patients at risk of sick leave or on short-term sick leave due to acute/subacute neck and/or back pain in Sweden. The purpose of WorkUp was to facilitate participants to stay at work or in case of sick leave, return-to-work. The aim of this study was to study whether the WorkUp trial was cost-effective. Patients in the intervention and reference group received structured evidence-based physiotherapy, while patients in the intervention group also received a work place dialogue with the employer as an add-on. The participants, 352 in total, were recruited from 20 physiotherapeutic units in primary healthcare in southern Sweden. The economic evaluation was performed both from a healthcare and a societal perspective with a 12-month time frame with extensive univariate sensitivity analyses. Results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) with outcomes measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) and proportion working for at least 4 weeks in a row without reported sick leave at 12-month follow-up. From the healthcare perspective, the ICER was €23,606 (2013 price year) per QALY gain. From the societal perspective the intervention was dominating, i.e.. less costly and more effective than reference care. Bootstrap analysis showed that the probability of the intervention to be cost-effective at €50,000 willingness-to-pay per QALY was 85% from the societal perspective. Structured evidence-based physiotherapeutic care together with workplace dialogue is a cost-effective alternative from both a societal and a healthcare perspective for acute/subacute neck and/or back pain patients.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02609750.

Cost of opioid-treated chronic low back pain: Findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation-based intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Opioid-treated chronic low back pain (CLBP) is debilitating, costly, and often refractory to existing treatments. This secondary analysis aims to pilot-test the hypothesis that mindfulness meditation (MM) can reduce economic burden related to opioid-treated CLBP. DESIGN: Twenty-six-week unblinded pilot randomized controlled trial, comparing MM, adjunctive to usual-care, to usual care alone. SETTING: Outpatient. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five adults with opioid-treated CLBP (≥30 morphine-equivalent mg/day) for 3 + months enrolled; none withdrew. INTERVENTION: Eight weekly therapist-led MM sessions and at-home practice. OUTCOME MEASURES: Costs related to self-reported healthcare utilization, medication use (direct costs), lost productivity (indirect costs), and total costs (direct + indirect costs) were calculated for 6-month pre-enrollment and postenrollment periods and compared within and between the groups. RESULTS: Participants (21 MM; 14 control) were 20 percent men, age 51.8 ± 9.7 years, with severe disability, opioid dose of 148.3 ± 129.2 morphine-equivalent mg/d, and individual annual income of $18,291 ± $19,345. At baseline, total costs were estimated at $15,497 ± 13,677 (direct: $10,635 ± 9,897; indirect: $4,862 ± 7,298) per participant. Although MM group participants, compared to controls, reduced their pain severity ratings and pain sensitivity to heat stimuli (p < 0.05), no statistically significant within-group changes or between-group differences in direct and indirect costs were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with opioid-treated CLBP experience a high burden of disability despite the high costs of treatment. Although this pilot study did not show a statistically significant impact of MM on costs related to opioid-treated CLBP, MM can improve clinical outcomes and should be assessed in a larger trial with long-term follow-up.

Cost-effectiveness of 40-hour versus 100-hour vocational rehabilitation on work participation for workers on sick leave due to subacute or chronic musculoskeletal pain: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Although vocational rehabilitation is a widely advocated intervention for workers on sick leave due to subacute or chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, the optimal dosage of effective and cost-effective vocational rehabilitation remains unknown. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a non-inferiority trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of 40-h multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation compared with 100-h multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation on work participation for workers on sick leave due to subacute or chronic musculoskeletal pain. METHODS/DESIGN: A non-inferiority study design will be applied. The study population consists of workers who are on part-time or full-time sick leave due to subacute or chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Two multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation programs following the bio-psychosocial approach will be evaluated in this study: 40-h vocational rehabilitation and 100-h vocational rehabilitation, both delivered over a maximum of 15 weeks. The 100-h vocational rehabilitation comprises five modules: work participation coordination, graded activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, group education, and relaxation. The 40-h vocational rehabilitation comprises work participation coordination and a well-reasoned choice from the other four modules. Four rehabilitation centers will participate in this study, each delivering both interventions. Patients will be randomized into one of the interventions, stratified for the duration of sick leave (<6 weeks or ≥ 6 weeks) and type of sick leave (part-time or full-time). The primary outcome is work participation, measured by self-reported sick leave days, and will be assessed at baseline, mid-term, discharge, and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months follow-up. Secondary outcomes are work ability, disability, quality of life, and physical functioning and will be assessed at baseline, discharge, and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Cost outcomes are absenteeism, presenteeism, healthcare usage, and travelling costs. Cost-effectiveness will be evaluated from the societal and employer perspectives. DISCUSSION: The results obtained from this study will be useful for vocational rehabilitation practice and will provide stakeholders with relevant insights into two versions of vocational rehabilitation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch Trial Register identifier: NTR4362 (registered 17 March 2014).

The effect of quitting smoking on costs and healthcare utilization in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a comparison of current smokers versus ex-smokers in routine clinical practice.

PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent condition mainly related to smoking, which is associated with a substantial economic burden. The purpose was to compare healthcare resource utilization and costs according to smoking status in patients with COPD in routine clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective cohort nested case-control study was designed. The cohort was composed of male and female COPD outpatients, 40 years or older, covered by the Badalona Serveis Assistencials (a health provider) health plan. Cases were current smokers with COPD and controls (two per case) were former smokers with COPD (at least 12 months without smoking), matched for age, sex, duration of COPD, and burden of comorbidity. The index date was the last visit recorded in the database, and the analysis was performed retrospectively on healthcare resource utilization data for the 12 months before the index date. RESULTS: A total of 930 COPD records were analyzed: 310 current and 620 former smokers [mean age 69.4 years (84.6 % male)]. Cases had more exacerbations, physician visits of any type, and drug therapies related to COPD were more common. As a consequence, current smokers had higher average annual healthcare costs: €3,784 (1,888) versus €2,302 (2,451), p < 0.001. This difference persisted after adjusting for severity of COPD. CONCLUSIONS: Current smokers with COPD had significantly higher use of healthcare resources, mainly COPD drugs and physician visits, compared with former smokers who had abstained for at least 12 months. As a consequence, current smokers had higher healthcare costs to the National Health System in Spain than ex-smokers.

General practitioners' management of the long-term sick role.

In this paper, we use qualitative research techniques to examine the role of general practitioners in the management of the long-term sickness absence. In order to uncover the perspectives of all the main agents affected by the actions of general practitioners, a case study approach focussing on one particular employment sector, the public health service, is adopted. The role of family physicians is viewed from the perspectives of health service managers, occupational health physicians, employees/patients, and general practitioners. Our argument is theoretically framed by Talcott Parsons's model of the medical contribution to the sick role, along with subsequent conceptualisations of the social role and position of physicians. Sixty one semi-structured interviews and three focus group interviews were conducted in three Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland between 2010 and 2012. There was a consensus among respondents that general practitioners put far more weight on the preferences and needs of their patients than they did on the requirements of employing organisations. This was explained by respondents in terms of the propinquity and longevity of relationships between doctors and their patients, and by the ideology of holistic care and patient advocacy that general practitioners viewed as providing the foundations of their approach to patients. The approach of general practitioners was viewed negatively by managers and occupational health physicians, and more positively by general practitioners and patients. However, there is some evidence that general practitioners would be prepared to forfeit their role as validators of sick leave. Given the imperatives of both state and capital to reduce the financial burden of long-term sickness, this preparedness puts into doubt the continued role of general practitioners as gatekeepers to legitimate long-term sickness absence.

Analysis of the economic burden of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis patients in rural China.

SETTING: A county in Jiangsu Province, China. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the costs of the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) from the patient's perspective and to identify determinants of the patient's financial burden. DESIGN: In a cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 316 patients diagnosed from January 2010 to May 2011 who had already completed their anti-tuberculosis treatment. The financial burden on TB patients included out-of-pocket costs and productivity losses. RESULTS: The average per capita total out-of-pocket cost was 3024.0 Chinese yuan (CNY), with a median cost of 1086 CNY (interquartile range [IQR] 480-2456). Mean out-of-pocket medical and non-medical costs were respectively 2565.7 CNY and 458.3 CNY. Productivity lost by patients and family members was 2615.2 CNY (median 500, IQR 250-2025). Factors associated with out-of-pocket costs and productivity losses included hospitalisation, adverse drug reactions, cost of drugs to 'protect' the liver, cost of second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and diagnostic delay. CONCLUSION: Although the government of China has implemented a 'free TB service policy', the economic burden on patients is still heavy. More patient-centred interventions are essential to reduce the financial burden on patients.

Healthcare performance turned into decision support.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to first create an overview of relevant factors directly influencing employee absence in the healthcare sector. The overview is used to further investigate the factors identified using employee satisfaction survey scores exclusively. The result of the overall objective is a management framework that allows managers to gain insight into the current status of risk factors with high influence on employee absence levels. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research consists of a quantitative literature study supported by formal and semi-formal interviews conducted at the case organisations. Employee satisfaction surveys were applied to analyse the development over time of selected factors correlated with concurrent employee absence rates. Checking for causal results, comparisons with the included published literature findings were also carried out. FINDINGS: Four major clustered factors, three of which constitute the term "social capital", showed a high degree of connection with employee absence rates. The factors are general satisfaction, fairness, reliance and co-operation. Integrating the four elements in a management framework will provide valuable and holistic information about the determinants with regard to current levels of employee absence. The framework will be a valuable support for leaders with the authority to alter the determinants of employee absence. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Since a great part of the empirical material is supplied from the healthcare sector, the results obtained could be restricted to this sector. Inclusion of data from Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension (ATP) showed no deviation from the results in the healthcare sector. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The product of the study is a decision support tool for leaders to cope with levels of employee absence. The framework is holistic and can prove to be a valuable tool to take a bearing of where to focus future initiatives. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Gathering former observational studies in a complete overview embracing many relevant factors that influence sickness absence has not yet been attempted. Hospital management is provided with valuable information when given insight into the factors that control employee absence behaviour. Having this insight will enable the managers to promote a healthy working environment, thus lowering employee absence rates to a minimum.

[Integrated management of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease in the Rhine-Main Region: results of the first integrated health-care project IBD in Germany]. / Integrierte Versorgung von Patienten mit chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen im Rhein-Main-Gebiet: Ergebnisse der ersten integrierten Versorgung CED in Deutschland.

INTRODUCTION: In our previous studies investigating the drug therapy in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Rhein-Main region, Germany, we detected serious discrepancies between treatment reality and treatment guidelines. Consecutively, patient outcome in this cohort was compromised. Following this pilot project a network between primary deliverers of care for IBD patients and one large health-care insurance company [BKK Taunus (Gesundheit), the second largest insurance company in Hessen, Germany] was established. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An analysis of treatment and socioeconomic data from 220 IBD patients (Crohn's disease - CD = 96, ulcerative colitis - UC = 124) entering the integrative health-care programme between 1.1.-30.9.2009 was performed. RESULTS: Remission rates for CD and UC in the integrated health-care programme could be improved from 60 - 73 % (CD) and from 61 - 79 % (UC). Guideline-conform treatment was observed in 81 % of patients with CD and 85 % with UC, respectively. Although medication costs increased, total costs could be cut by 162 304.- €, as secondary costs for hospitalisation and days off work could be reduced. CONCLUSION: The study shows that networking of deliverers of care for IBD patients with health insurances provides an excellent possibility to optimise medical treatment and can cut down costs significantly.

Influence of new secondary diagnoses on the duration of non-work-related sickness absence episodes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency and distribution of new diagnoses (codiagnoses) arising during a sickness absence (SA) episode, and to analyze their effect on duration of non-work-related SA in Spain. METHODS: Prospective cohort study from 2004 to 2007. Overall, 15,246 episodes occurred in a population base of 632,000 workers. Median duration of the episodes was the measured outcome. A Cox survival analysis, stratified by sex, estimated the hazard ratio to case closure adjusting by initial diagnosis, codiagnoses, demographic, and employment-related variables. RESULTS: The effect of an increasing number of codiagnoses on duration of the SA episode was evidenced by a progressively decreasing hazard ratio. This was present in both sexes, although the effect was greater in men. CONCLUSIONS: New conditions arising in the course of a SA episode significantly prolong its duration.

Value associated with mindfulness meditation and moderate exercise intervention in acute respiratory infection: the MEPARI Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is among the most common, debilitating and expensive human illnesses. The purpose of this study was to assess ARI-related costs and determine if mindfulness meditation or exercise can add value. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four adults ≥50 years from Madison, WI for the 2009-10 cold/flu season were randomized to (i) wait-list control (ii) meditation or (iii) moderate intensity exercise. ARI-related costs were assessed through self-reported medication use, number of missed work days and medical visits. Costs per subject were based on cost of generic medications, missed work days ($126.20) and clinic visits ($78.70). Monte Carlo bootstrap methods evaluated reduced costs of ARI episodes. RESULTS: The total cost per subject for the control group was $214 (95% CI: $105-$358), exercise $136 (95% CI: $64-$232) and meditation $65 (95% CI: $34-$104). The majority of cost savings was through a reduction in missed days of work. Exercise had the highest medication costs at $16.60 compared with $5.90 for meditation (P = 0.004) and $7.20 for control (P = 0.046). Combining these cost benefits with the improved outcomes in incidence, duration and severity seen with the Meditation or Exercise for Preventing Acute Respiratory Infection study, meditation and exercise add value for ARI. Compared with control, meditation had the greatest cost benefit. This savings is offset by the cost of the intervention ($450/subject) that would negate the short-term but perhaps not long-term savings. CONCLUSIONS: Meditation and exercise add value to ARI-associated health-related costs with improved outcomes. Further research is needed to confirm results and inform policies on adding value to medical spending.

The economic burden of the ankylosing spondylitis in the Czech Republic: comparison between 2005 and 2008.

To investigate the burden of ankylosing spondylitis in the Czech Republic as a baseline for future health economic evaluations. Data were obtained from two cross-sectional studies Beda I (2005) and Beda II (2008), performed in 1,008 and 509 patients, respectively. Methodology used was Cost-of-Illness prevalence-based analysis bottom-up approach. Analysis was performed from payer (health insurance companies) and societal perspective (including productivity costs using friction cost approach). Mean age of sample in Beda I and Beda II was 50.2 and 52.5 years, male were present by 61.0 and 62.7 %; average disease duration was 23.0 and 26.4 years, respectively. Mean total annual costs per patient in the sample were €4,782 in Beda I and €5806 in Beda II. Average direct costs per patient in the sample per year are estimated at €1,812 (Beda I) and €2,588 (Beda II) with the average productivity costs €2,970 (Beda I) and €3,218 (Beda II). We observed a small decrement in percentage (6.7 %) of productivity costs for Beda II as an influence of higher consumption of biologic drugs, hence higher direct costs and possible productivity preservation. The largest direct cost burdens were spa procedures (45.3 %, Beda I) and biological drugs (52.8 %, Beda II). Unique analysis of the burden of the AS in the Central-Eastern Europe presents health care resource and cost consumption by comparing two cross-sectional prevalence-based studies. Further analysis should be carried to obtain data connecting health status with costs consumption in order to analyse the AS from this perspective.

A randomized controlled trial of support group intervention after breast cancer treatment: results on sick leave, health care utilization and health economy.

BACKGROUND: More than 50% of breast cancer patients are diagnosed before the age of 65. Returning to work after treatment is, therefore, of interest for both the individual and society. The aim was to study the effect of support group intervention on sick leave and health care utilization in economic terms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Of 382 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, 191 + 191 patients were randomized to an intervention group or to a routine control group, respectively. The intervention group received support intervention on a residential basis for one week, followed by four days of follow-up two months later. The support intervention included informative-educational sections, relaxation training, mental visualization and non-verbal communication. Patients answered a questionnaire at baseline, two, six and 12 months about sick leave and health care utilization. RESULTS: There was a trend towards longer sick leave and more health care utilization in the intervention group. The difference in total costs was statistically significantly higher in the intervention group after 12 months (p = 0.0036). CONCLUSION: Costs to society were not reduced with intervention in its present form.

Validation of sick leave measures: self-reported sick leave and sickness benefit data from a Danish national register compared to multiple workplace-registered sick leave spells in a Danish municipality.

BACKGROUND: Previous validation studies of sick leave measures have focused on self-reports. Register-based sick leave data are considered to be valid; however methodological problems may be associated with such data. A Danish national register on sickness benefit (DREAM) has been widely used in sick leave research. On the basis of sick leave records from 3,554 and 2,311 eldercare workers in 14 different workplaces, the aim of this study was to: 1) validate registered sickness benefit data from DREAM against workplace-registered sick leave spells of at least 15 days; 2) validate self-reported sick leave days during one year against workplace-registered sick leave. METHODS: Agreement between workplace-registered sick leave and DREAM-registered sickness benefit was reported as sensitivities, specificities and positive predictive values. A receiver-operating characteristic curve and a Bland-Altman plot were used to study the concordance with sick leave duration of the first spell. By means of an analysis of agreement between self-reported and workplace-registered sick leave sensitivity and specificity was calculated. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (95% CI) were used. RESULTS: The probability that registered DREAM data on sickness benefit agrees with workplace-registered sick leave of at least 15 days was 96.7% (95% CI: 95.6-97.6). Specificity was close to 100% (95% CI: 98.3-100). The registered DREAM data on sickness benefit overestimated the duration of sick leave spells by an average of 1.4 (SD: 3.9) weeks. Separate analysis on pregnancy-related sick leave revealed a maximum sensitivity of 20% (95% CI: 4.3-48.1).The sensitivity of self-reporting at least one or at least 56 sick leave day/s was 94.5 (95% CI: 93.4 - 95.5) % and 58.5 (95% CI: 51.1 - 65.6) % respectively. The corresponding specificities were 85.3 (95% CI: 81.4 - 88.6) % and 98.9 (95% CI: 98.3 - 99.3) %. CONCLUSIONS: The DREAM register offered valid measures of sick leave spells of at least 15 days among eldercare employees. Pregnancy-related sick leave should be excluded in studies planning to use DREAM data on sickness benefit. Self-reported sick leave became more imprecise when number of absence days increased, but the sensitivity and specificity were acceptable for lengths not exceeding one week.

Duloxetine use in chronic low back pain: treatment patterns and costs.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the real-world treatment patterns and costs of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) who are treated with duloxetine compared with those receiving other non-surgical treatments. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare the real-world treatment patterns and costs between patients with CLBP who initiated duloxetine and matched controls who initiated another non-surgical treatment. METHODS: The study sample was selected from a US privately insured claims database (2004-8). Selected patients were aged 18-64 years, and had a low back pain (LBP) diagnosis (per Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set [HEDIS] specifications) with a subsequent CLBP-qualifying diagnosis recorded ≥90 days after the initial LBP diagnosis. Duloxetine-treated patients had ≥1 duloxetine prescription within 6 months after CLBP diagnosis, no prior duloxetine claim, and continuous eligibility ≥12 months before first LBP diagnosis and ≥6 months after index duloxetine prescription (study period). Because duloxetine patients had higher rates of co-morbidities, 553 duloxetine-treated patients were matched to 553 control patients who initiated another non-surgical LBP treatment based on propensity score and time from first LBP diagnosis to treatment initiation. A subset (n = 103 each) of matched employees with disability data was also analysed to assess work loss. Main outcomes measures included study period treatment rates and direct (medical and drug) costs from a third-party payer perspective and employee indirect (work-loss) costs. McNemar tests were used to compare LBP treatment rates. Bias-corrected bootstrapping t-tests were used to compare costs. RESULTS: After matching, the two groups had balanced baseline characteristics including demographics, LBP diagnostic categories, co-morbidity profiles, resource use, treatment patterns and mean direct costs. During the 6-month study period, matched duloxetine-treated patients had significantly lower rates of other pharmacological therapy (e.g. 56.2% vs 64.9% narcotic opioids, p = 0.0024; 34.9% vs 49.5% NSAIDs, p < 0.0001) and non-invasive therapy (28.8% vs 38.5% chiropractic therapy, p = 0.0007; 25.5% vs 35.4% physical therapy, p = 0.0004; 17.5% vs 28.4% exercise therapy, p < 0.0001) than controls. Duloxetine-treated patients versus controls had similar back surgery rates (2.2% vs 3.8%; p = 0.1127) and similar direct costs ($US7658 vs $US7439; p = 0.8119). Among CLBP employees, duloxetine-treated employees versus controls had lower rates of other non-surgical therapy, similar back surgery rates (0.0% vs 3.9%; p = 0.1250), lower total direct and indirect costs ($US5227 vs $US7299; p = 0.0418), and similar indirect costs ($US1806 vs $US2664; p = 0.0528). CONCLUSIONS: Duloxetine treatment in CLBP patients/employees versus other non-surgical treatment was associated with reduced rates of non-surgical therapies and similar back surgery rates, without increased costs.

Costs of shoulder pain and resource use in primary health care: a cost-of-illness study in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Painful shoulders pose a substantial socioeconomic burden. A prospective cost-of-illness study was performed to assess the costs associated with healthcare use and loss of productivity in patients with shoulder pain in primary health care in Sweden. METHODS: The study was performed in western Sweden, in a region with 24 000 inhabitants. Data were collected during six months from electronic patient records at three primary healthcare centres in two municipalities. All patients between 20 and 64 years of age who presented with shoulder pain to a general practitioner or a physiotherapist were included. Diagnostic codes were used for selection, and the cases were manually controlled. The cost for sick leave was calculated according to the human capital approach. Sensitivity analysis was used to explore uncertainty in various factors used in the model. RESULTS: 204 (103 women) patients, mean age 48 (SD 11) years, were registered. Half of the cases were closed within six weeks, whereas 32 patients (16%) remained in the system for more than six months. A fifth of the patients were responsible for 91% of the total costs, and for 44% of the healthcare costs. The mean healthcare cost per patient was €326 (SD 389) during six months. Physiotherapy treatments accounted for 60%. The costs for sick leave contributed to 84% of the total costs. The mean annual total cost was €4139 per patient. Estimated costs for secondary care increased the total costs by one third. CONCLUSIONS: The model applied in this study provides valuable information that can be used in cost evaluations. Costs for secondary care and particularly for sick leave have a major influence on total costs and interventions that can reduce long periods of sick leave are warranted.

[Medical and economic aspects of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Aspects médico-économiques de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disabling disease that induces substantial costs in terms of healthcare resources (direct costs) and lost productivity (indirect costs). The main cost drivers used to be disability and hospitalization. Recently, however, the cost of new and expensive therapies has exceeded that of hospitalization. These effective treatments have lowered RA-related use of healthcare resources, especially totaljoint replacement, as well as sick leave. In contrast, they have not yet been shown to reduce the number of patients who become disabled, and their cost-effectiveness ratio thus tends to be unfavorable.

Ensuring a healthy and productive workforce: comparing the generosity of paid sick day and sick leave policies in 22 countries.

National paid sick day and paid sick leave policies are compared in 22 countries ranked highly in terms of economic and human development. The authors calculate the financial support available to workers facing two different kinds of health problems: a case of the flu that requires missing 5 days of work, and a cancer treatment that requires 50 days of absence. Only 3 countries--the United States, Canada, and Japan--have no national policy requiring employers to provide paid sick days for workers who need to miss 5 days of work to recover from the flu. Eleven countries guarantee workers earning the national median wage full pay for all 5 days. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the full-time equivalent benefits are more generous for low-wage workers than for workers earning the national median. The United States is the only country that does not provide paid sick leave for a worker undergoing a 50-day cancer treatment. Luxembourg and Norway provide 50 full-time equivalent working days of leave, while New Zealand provides the least, at 5 days. In 6 countries, paid sick leave benefits are more generous for low-wage workers than for median-wage workers.