Direct medical costs of type 2 diabetes and its complications in Switzerland.
BACKGROUND
This paper analyses the direct medical costs of type 2 diabetes and its complications in Switzerland.


METHODS
Individual healthcare resource consumption related to type 2 diabetes and its complications was determined retrospectively in 1479 non-incident and non-dying patients over 12 months (1998-1999). Literature-derived attributable risks were used to correct for non-diabetes related macrovascular disease.


RESULTS
A total of 111 primary care physicians from 19 cantons throughout Switzerland participated. Their diabetic patients on average had 10.3 consultations per year related to this disease (95% CI: 10.0-10.7). Patients spent on average 2.7 days (95% CI: 2.2-3.3) per year in hospital due to diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Mean annual type 2 diabetes-related direct medical costs per patient amounted to CHF 3,508 / Euro 2,323 (95% CI: CHF 3,140-3,876 / Euro 2,080-2,567). They were particularly high in patients with insulin treatment or with complications. After application of attributable risks and a correction for the use of adjuvant materials, costs were CHF 3,324 / Euro 2,201. Assuming 250,000 patients with type 2 diabetes in Switzerland leads to an estimate of CHF 0.88 billion spent for this disease and its complications in 1998. This represents a share of about 2.2% of the country's total healthcare expenditures.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate the high economic importance of type 2 diabetes and its complications in Switzerland.
Schmitt-Koopmann
Irmgard
I
Division of Medical Economics, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Schwenkglenks
Matthias
M
Spinas
Giatgen A
GA
Szucs
Thomas D
TD
D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013557:Switzerland