the economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in georgia direct and indirect costs在格鲁吉亚的经济影响慢性疲劳综合症的直接和间接成本.pdf

Lin et al. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2011, 9:1 /content/9/1/1 RESEARCH Open Access The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs 1*† 2,3 1 2 2 2 Jin-Mann S Lin , Stephen C Resch , Dana J Brimmer , Andrew Johnson , Stephen Kennedy , Nancy Burstein , Carol J Simon2,4† Abstract Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating chronic illness affecting at least 4 million people in the United States. Understanding its cost improves decisions regarding resource allocation that may be directed towards treatment and cure, and guides the evaluation of clinical and community interventions designed to reduce the burden of disease. Methods: This research estimated direct and indirect costs of CFS and the impact on educational attainment using a population-based, case-control study between September 2004 and July 2005, Georgia, USA. Participants completed a clinical evaluation to confirm CFS, identify other illnesses, and report on socioeconomic factors. We estimated the effect of CFS on direct medical costs (inpatient hospitalizations, provider visits, prescription medication spending, other medical supplies and services) and loss in productivity (employment and earnings) with a stratified sample (n = 500) from metropolitan, urban, and rural Georgia. We adjusted medical costs and earnings for confounders (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and geographic strata) using econometric models and weighted estimates to reflect response-rate adjusted sampling rates. Results: Individuals with CFS had mean annual direct medical costs of $5,683. After adjusting for confounding factors, CFS accounted for $3,286 of these c