Journal article
Stroke in Switzerland: social determinants of treatment access and cost of illness.
- Snozzi P University of Zurich, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Economics, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: snozzi@gmail.com.
- Blank PR University of Zurich, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Medical Economics, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Szucs TD Institute of Pharmaceutical Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- 2013-10-15
Published in:
- Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association. - 2014
Stroke
Switzerland
cost factors
cost-of-illness
economics
epidemiology
socioeconomic factors
stroke facilities
stroke prevalence
stroke rehabilitation
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Chi-Square Distribution
Female
Health Care Costs
Health Care Surveys
Health Services Accessibility
Healthcare Disparities
Hospital Costs
Humans
Income
Insurance, Health
Least-Squares Analysis
Length of Stay
Logistic Models
Long-Term Care
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Socioeconomic Factors
Stroke
Switzerland
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Young Adult
English
BACKGROUND
Few useful empirical data on stroke are available for Switzerland. The aim of this study was to collect data on the use of medical resources and associated costs among stroke patients. Special attention was paid to possible correlations between epidemiologic indicators, sociodemographic variables, resource use, and costs.
METHODS
We carried out a representative population survey of 19,123 households in the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland with computer-assisted telephone interviews in 2005. Detailed sociodemographic data and information on the use of resources were collected from 509 individuals aged 15-75 years who had cared for a stroke patient in the past 1-2 years.
RESULTS
In the last 1-2 years, a total of 7.8% of households were affected by stroke in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, whereas only 4.3% of households were affected in the French-speaking part of Switzerland (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, P < .001). Based on the length of stay, the total cost of inpatient treatment and rehabilitation during the average 1-year observation period was estimated at €40,090. Stroke therefore caused approximately 2.9% of all inpatient costs in Switzerland. Patients with supplementary insurance were treated more frequently as inpatients than patients with statutory insurance (OR: 2.14, P = .014), and patients with a low household income were referred less frequently to an inpatient rehabilitation facility than those with medium or high household income (OR = .58, P < .05).
CONCLUSIONS
This survey confirms the medical and economic importance of stroke and supplements the existing European data. Further research is needed in regard to incidence differences in stroke across Switzerland. Patients without supplementary insurance or with low household income were less likely to receive inpatient treatment.
Few useful empirical data on stroke are available for Switzerland. The aim of this study was to collect data on the use of medical resources and associated costs among stroke patients. Special attention was paid to possible correlations between epidemiologic indicators, sociodemographic variables, resource use, and costs.
METHODS
We carried out a representative population survey of 19,123 households in the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland with computer-assisted telephone interviews in 2005. Detailed sociodemographic data and information on the use of resources were collected from 509 individuals aged 15-75 years who had cared for a stroke patient in the past 1-2 years.
RESULTS
In the last 1-2 years, a total of 7.8% of households were affected by stroke in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, whereas only 4.3% of households were affected in the French-speaking part of Switzerland (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, P < .001). Based on the length of stay, the total cost of inpatient treatment and rehabilitation during the average 1-year observation period was estimated at €40,090. Stroke therefore caused approximately 2.9% of all inpatient costs in Switzerland. Patients with supplementary insurance were treated more frequently as inpatients than patients with statutory insurance (OR: 2.14, P = .014), and patients with a low household income were referred less frequently to an inpatient rehabilitation facility than those with medium or high household income (OR = .58, P < .05).
CONCLUSIONS
This survey confirms the medical and economic importance of stroke and supplements the existing European data. Further research is needed in regard to incidence differences in stroke across Switzerland. Patients without supplementary insurance or with low household income were less likely to receive inpatient treatment.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2013.07.042
- PMID 24119621
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/9109
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