title: Alcohol consumption patterns and health care costs in an HMO.
abstract: We examined the relationship between patterns of alcohol consumption and health care costs among adult members of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) in Northern California. A telephone survey of a random sample of the KPMCP membership aged 18 and over was conducted between June 1994 and February 1996 (n=10,175). The survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, general and mental health status, patterns of past and current alcohol consumption; inpatient and outpatient costs were obtained from Kaiser Permanentes cost management information system. Results showed that current non-drinkers with a history of heavy drinking had higher health costs than other non-drinkers and current drinkers. The per person per year costs for non-drinkers with a heavy drinking history were $2421 versus $1706 for other non-drinkers and $1358 for current drinkers in 1995 US dollars. A history of heavy drinking has a significant effect on costs after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, health status and health practices. Current drinkers have the lowest costs, suggesting that they may be more likely than non-drinkers to delay seeking care until they are sick and require expensive medical care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, 3505 Broadway, 7th Floor, Oakland, CA 94611-5463, USA. emh@dor.kaiser.org
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hunkeler
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weisner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000191:economics*; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics