TY - JOUR

T1 - Welfare consequences for people with epilepsy and their partners

T2 - A matched nationwide study in Denmark

AU - Jennum, Poul

AU - Sabers, Anne

AU - Christensen, Jakob

AU - Ibsen, Rikke

AU - Kjellberg, Jakob

N1 - Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the excess direct and indirect costs associated with epilepsy.METHODS: From the Danish National Patient Registry (1998-2013), we identified people within all ages with an epilepsy diagnosis and matched them to control individuals. Additionally, partners of people with epilepsy were identified, who were compared with control partners. Direct costs included frequencies and costs of hospitalizations and weighted outpatient use according to diagnosis-related group, and specific outpatient costs based on data from the Danish Ministry of Health. The use and costs of drugs were based on data from the Danish Medicines Agency. The frequencies of visits and hospitalizations, and costs from general practice were derived from data from the National Health Security. Indirect costs included labor supply-based income data, and all social transfer payments obtained from Coherent Social Statistics.RESULTS: A greater percentage of people with epilepsy and their partners compared with respective control subjects received social services (sick pay or disability pension). Those with epilepsy had a lower employment rate than did controls for equivalent periods up to eight years before the diagnosis was made. Mortality was significantly higher in people with epilepsy than in control individuals (hazard ratio 2.38 (95% CI: 2.34, 2.41). The additional direct and indirect annual costs of epilepsy compared with controls were €11,223 for persons with epilepsy and €2,494 for their partners.CONCLUSION: Epilepsy has major socioeconomic consequences for individual patients, their partners and society.

AB - PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the excess direct and indirect costs associated with epilepsy.METHODS: From the Danish National Patient Registry (1998-2013), we identified people within all ages with an epilepsy diagnosis and matched them to control individuals. Additionally, partners of people with epilepsy were identified, who were compared with control partners. Direct costs included frequencies and costs of hospitalizations and weighted outpatient use according to diagnosis-related group, and specific outpatient costs based on data from the Danish Ministry of Health. The use and costs of drugs were based on data from the Danish Medicines Agency. The frequencies of visits and hospitalizations, and costs from general practice were derived from data from the National Health Security. Indirect costs included labor supply-based income data, and all social transfer payments obtained from Coherent Social Statistics.RESULTS: A greater percentage of people with epilepsy and their partners compared with respective control subjects received social services (sick pay or disability pension). Those with epilepsy had a lower employment rate than did controls for equivalent periods up to eight years before the diagnosis was made. Mortality was significantly higher in people with epilepsy than in control individuals (hazard ratio 2.38 (95% CI: 2.34, 2.41). The additional direct and indirect annual costs of epilepsy compared with controls were €11,223 for persons with epilepsy and €2,494 for their partners.CONCLUSION: Epilepsy has major socioeconomic consequences for individual patients, their partners and society.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Case-Control Studies

KW - Costs and Cost Analysis/statistics & numerical data

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Epilepsy/economics

KW - Female

KW - Health Care Costs/statistics & numerical data

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Registries

KW - Social Welfare/economics

KW - Spouses/statistics & numerical data

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1016/j.seizure.2017.05.007

DO - 10.1016/j.seizure.2017.05.007

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28531819

VL - 49

SP - 17

EP - 24

JO - Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association

JF - Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association

SN - 1059-1311

ER -