The cost of acute asthma--how much is preventable?
Asthma is known to be widely under-treated, and unnecessary morbidity from the disease is common. This paper reports a prospective survey of hospital admissions for acute asthma and assesses the efficacy of pre-admission therapy in terms of preventing hospital admission. District and national costs were estimated for hospital admission of patients with acute asthma and, although the direct cost to the patients was not measured, a calculation was made of the number of working days lost annually. The results of this survey show the need for improved education of both doctors and patients, and in particular for improved clinical management. The findings also suggest that the cost to the patient, including those costs incurred by hospital admission, are potentially preventable.
Blainey
D
D
Whipps Cross Hospital, London.
Lomas
D
D
Beale
A
A
Partridge
M
M
D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics*; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000191:economics; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000191:economics*; D012139:Respiratory Therapy Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013222:State Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires