Quality of Life Changes and Health Care Charges Among Youth With Epilepsy.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:To examine differences in health care charges following a pediatric epilepsy diagnosis based on changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS:Billing records were obtained for 171 youth [M (SD) age = 8.9 (4.1) years] newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Differences in health care charges among HRQOL groups (stable low, declining, improving, or stable high as determined by PedsQL(™) scores at diagnosis and 12 months after diagnosis) were examined. RESULTS:Patients with persistently low or declining HRQOL incurred higher total health care charges in the year following diagnosis (g = .49, g = .81) than patients with stable high HRQOL after controlling for epilepsy etiology, seizure occurrence, and insurance type. These relationships remained consistent after excluding health

SUBMITTER: Ryan JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4982539 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature