COSTS OF HEALTH SERVICES UTILIZATION OF PEOPLE WITH FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER BY SEX AND AGE GROUP IN ALBERTA, CANADA

Main Article Content

Nguyen Xuan Thanh
Egon Jonsson

Keywords

FASD, cost, health services utilization, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Objectives


To estimate the annual health services utilization (HSU) cost per person with FASD by sex and age; the lifetime HSU cost per person with FASD by sex, and the annual HSU cost of FASD for Alberta by sex.


Methods


The HSU costs of FASD including physician, outpatient, and inpatient services were described by sex and age. The costs per person-year were estimated by multiplying the average number of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and physician visits per person-year by the average cost of each service. The annual HSU cost of FASD for Alberta was estimated by multiplying the annual HSU cost per person with FASD by the number of people living with FASD in Alberta in 2012. The lifetime HSU cost per person with FASD was estimated by sex for several lifespans ranging from 10 to 70 years.


Results


The annual cost of HSU for people with FASD in Alberta was $25 9 million, of which FAS accounted for 26%. The annual HSU cost per person with FAS and FASD were $6, 2 00 and $5, 6 00, respectively. The incremental annual HSU cost per person with FAS is $ 4,100 and with FASD is $3, 4 00 as compared to the general population. The lifetime (70 years) HSU cost per person with FAS was $ 506, 000 and with FASD was $2 45, 000. Males had higher HSU costs than females. HSU costs of FAS and FASD varied greatly by age group.


Conclusion


The findings suggest that FASD is a public health issue in Alberta and can be used for economic evaluations of FASD intervention and/or prevention in the province.

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