title: [Study of flu costs].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the costs of influenza epidemics in Spanish society.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, longitudinal, and multi-centre study of healthcare and non-healthcare resource use associated with flu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two primary care centres, 3 hospital emergency services, and the medical service at an old people's home.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 662 individuals diagnosed with flu who attended
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct and indirect costs of flu in Spanish society.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 60.7% of diagnosed cases of flu included in the study came from hospital emergency services, 36.9% from primary health care centres, and 2.4% from an old people's home. During the epidemic period, flu in Spain costs about 1036.9 million euros, taking incidence at 7.9%. Flu-derived costs are higher in over-65 and chronic patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Influenza costs fall mainly on hospitals and work through time off. The cost of flu is higher among patients considered to be risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Health Outcomes Research Europe, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Badia Llach
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roset Gamisans
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Francés Tudel
authors.forename: Concha
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarez Sanz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubio Terrés
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology