Background & Aims

Approximately one-third of individuals are likely to develop herpes zoster (HZ) in their lifetime, with 98% of these patients experiencing herpes zoster-associated pain (ZAP), which can lead to an increase in patient hospitalization rates. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend of medical expenditure for patients with ZAP and to explore its influencing factors.

Methods

We collected the medical expenditure data for inpatients diagnosed with ZAP from 2012 to 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Chongqing. We described the trend of medical costs over time and the trend of related subgroups, analyzed the composition of medical expenditures, and constructed a multiple linear regression model to investigate the factors affecting total inpatient costs. All expenditure data are reported in Chinese Yuan (CNY).

Results

We evaluated the total hospitalization costs of 822 patients, with an average total medical cost of CNY 10,413 per patient. Since 2012, patients’ total medical expenditures showed a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease, while the overall inpatient medical expenditures have shown a growth trend, with the largest proportion being drug expenditures. The results of the multiple linear regression model showed that the length of stay, age, treatment method, and whether the patient had hematological diseases were significantly associated with medical expenditures.

Conclusions

Since 2012, the overall medical expenses of patients with ZAP have shown an increasing trend. The duration of hospital stay, the presence of hematological diseases, age, and treatment methods are the most influential factors on medical expenditures.Therefore, it is necessary to take targeted measures to alleviate the economic burden on patients with ZAP.

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Presenting Author

Lin Zhang

Poster Authors

Lin Zhang

Medical Center of Pain and Rehabilitation, Xinqiao Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Army

Lead Author

E-mail

Topics

  • Economics, Ethics, and Law