title: [What do the waiting lists cost? A study of patients with backache].
abstract: Waiting for treatment usually contributes to patients' psychological and financial problems. In this study we calculate and discuss the economic implications of these patients being on a waiting list for treatment. Our calculations show that the income lost in economic production is higher than the cost of treating patients with degenerative low back pain. This is mainly because these afflictions strike people of working age and render them invalids, whereas early adequate treatment usually allows the patients to take up their previous work.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Skouen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wester
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Slåttebrekk
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001416:Back Pain / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D014850:Waiting Lists
vernacular_title: Hva koster ventelistene? En studie av ryggpasienter.