Costs in the Treatment of Schizophrenia in Adults Receiving Atypical Antipsychotics: An 11-Year Cohort in Brazil



Barbosa, Wallace Breno, Costa, Juliana de Oliveira, Pires de Lemos, Livia Lovato, Gomes, Rosangela Maria, de Oliveira, Helian Nunes, Ruas, Cristina Mariano, Acurcio, Francisco de Assis, Barbui, Corrado, Bennie, Marion, Godman, Brian ORCID: 0000-0001-6539-6972
et al (show 1 more authors) (2018) Costs in the Treatment of Schizophrenia in Adults Receiving Atypical Antipsychotics: An 11-Year Cohort in Brazil. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY, 16 (5). pp. 697-709.

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Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Schizophrenia is associated with significant economic burden. In Brazil, antipsychotic drugs and outpatient and hospital services are provided by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) for patients with schizophrenia. However, few studies capture the cost of managing these patients within the Brazilian NHS. This is important to appraise different management approaches within universal healthcare systems.<h4>Objective</h4>Our objective was to use real-world data to describe the costs associated with the treatment of schizophrenia in adults receiving atypical antipsychotics in Brazil from 2000 to 2010.<h4>Methods</h4>We integrated three national databases for adult patients with schizophrenia receiving one or more atypical antipsychotics. We assessed only direct medical costs and the study was conducted from a public-payer perspective. A multivariate log-linear regression model was performed to evaluate associations between costs and clinical and demographic variables.<h4>Results</h4>We identified 174,310 patients with schizophrenia, with mean ± standard deviation (SD) annual costs of $US1811.92 ± 284.39 per patient. Atypical antipsychotics accounted for 79.7% of total costs, with a mean annual cost per patient of $US1578.74 ± 240.40. Mean annual costs per patient were $US2482.90 ± 302.92 for psychiatric hospitalization and $US862.96 ± 160.18 for outpatient psychiatric care. Olanzapine was used by 47.7% of patients and represented 62.8% of the total costs of atypical antipsychotics. Patients who used clozapine had the highest mean annual cost per patient for outpatient psychiatric care and psychiatric hospitalization.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Atypical antipsychotics were responsible for the majority of the schizophrenia treatment costs, and psychiatric hospitalization costs were the highest mean annual cost per patient. Authorities should ensure efficient use of atypical antipsychotics and encourage outpatient psychiatric care over psychiatric hospitalization where possible.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Humans, Clozapine, Antipsychotic Agents, Ambulatory Care, Hospitalization, Linear Models, Schizophrenia, Adolescent, Adult, Middle Aged, Health Care Costs, Drug Costs, Brazil, Female, Male, Young Adult, Olanzapine
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 01 Aug 2018 07:25
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 01:29
DOI: 10.1007/s40258-018-0408-4
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3024451