Health care utilization and cost burden of herpes zoster in a community population.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To conduct a population-based study to assess health care utilization (HCU) and costs associated with herpes zoster (HZ) and its complications, including postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and nonpain complications, in adults aged 22 years and older.

Patients and methods

Medical record data on HCU were abstracted for all confirmed new cases of HZ from January 1, 1996, through December 31, 2001, among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota. Herpes zoster-related costs were estimated by applying the Medicare Payment Fee Schedule to health care encounters and mean wholesale prices to medications. All costs were adjusted to 2006 US dollars using the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index.

Results

The HCU and cost of the 1669 incident HZ cases varied, depen

SUBMITTER: Yawn BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2735428 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature