How does comorbidity influence healthcare costs? A population-based cross-sectional study of depression, back pain and osteoarthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To analyse how comorbidity among patients with back pain, depression and osteoarthritis influences healthcare costs per patient. A special focus was made on the distribution of costs for primary healthcare compared with specialist care, hospital care and drugs.

Design

Population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

The County of Östergötland, Sweden.

Patients

Data on diagnoses and healthcare costs for all 266 354 individuals between 20 and 75 years of age, who were residents of the County of Östergötland, Sweden, in the year 2006, were extracted from the local healthcare register and the national register of drug prescriptions.

Main outcome measures

The effects of comorbidity on healthcare costs were estimated as interactions in regression mod

SUBMITTER: Carstensen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3341593 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature