Longitudinal analysis of health care costs in patients with childhood onset inherited retinal dystrophies compared to healthy controls
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Background: We evaluated health care costs in patients with childhood onset visual impairment caused by inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD). Methods: The IRD cohort, identified from the Danish Registry of Blind and Partially Sighted Children, was compared to age- and sex-matched controls from the national, Danish population registry. Information on health care expenditures for somatic and psychiatric in- and outpatient services, purchase of prescription medications and paid assistance at home were obtained from national registries for the years 2002–2017. Results: We included 412 in the IRD cohort (6,290 person years) and 1656 (25,088 person years) in the control cohort. Average, annual health care expenditures from age 0–48 years of age were €1,488 (SD 4,711) in the IRD cohort and €1,030 (4,639) in the control cohort. The largest difference was for out-patient eye care (13.26 times greater, 95% confidence interval 12.90–13.64). Psychiatric in-patient expenditures were 1.71 times greater (95% CI 1.66–1.76) in the IRD cohort but psychiatric out-patient health care costs were comparable between groups. Conclusions: Health care costs were approximately 40% greater in the IRD cohort compared to an age- and sex-matched sample from the general Danish population. This is relevant in the current situation with a number of trials aimed at treating IRDs using genetically based therapies. Although eye care expenditures were many times greater, they made up < 10% of the total health care expenditures even in the IRD cohort. The reduced costs related to injuries in the visually impaired cohort was a surprising finding but may reflect a reduced propensity to seek medical care rather than a reduced risk of injuries.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 466 |
Journal | BMC Ophthalmology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 1 |
ISSN | 1471-2415 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
- Childhood visual impairment, Health care costs. Injury, Inherited retinal dystrophy
Research areas
ID: 329304906