[The treatment cost at different stages of alcohol dependence in Japan].
The treatment costs of alcohol dependence were calculated by disease stage and by method of treatment. Alcohol-related problems, mainly alcohol dependence, can be divided into four stages for convenience: (1) abnormal values found in health examinations, (2) preventive treatment as an outpatient or short-term hospitalization for education and testing, (3) basic outpatient treatment, and (4) inpatient treatment. The following results were obtained. (1) One example of expenses required for a routine examination was 936 points when converted to health insurance points. (2) The number of points for outpatient group psychotherapy in the first education stage and five additional examinations was 5175 points (6255 points with a designated mental health physician). The number of points for the program of medical tests and initial education in one week of hospitalization was 10,787. (3) For alcoholics, continued outpatient visits for two years, the number of points for only prescription of a drug to inhibit drinking such as disulfiram with no testing was 14,790 (19,650 points with a designated mental health physician). When the patient participated in alcohol daycare, the total number of points for three months of daycare with one meal each time was 46,020. (4) In cases of three-month inpatient treatment in our hospital including ordinary medical testing, the number of points for the first month for one patient was 57,280 points, plus 35,000 points each month in the 2nd and 3rd months for a total of 127,280 points. However, the total in our hospital is an average of 160,200 points when drugs and additional tests are included. As expected, the expenses required at the primary prevention stage were low, while those required for treatment after onset were high. Placing stress on prevention, providing proper treatment for patients and reducing relapses will reduce the burden including social expenses.
Miyakawa
Tomohiro
T
National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Alcoholism Center, 5-3-1, Nobi, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239 0841, Japan.
Maesato
Hitoshi
H
Higuchi
Susumu
S
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan