Cost benefits of targeting the pneumococcal vaccination program to the elderly population in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Because of the continuing rise in pneumococcal vaccine costs and limits on funding of such costs, vaccination priorities in Taiwan were assessed.


METHODS
Data of a randomly selected sample of 200,448 people were analyzed to identify the highest risk groups. Patients were subgrouped on the basis of age and gender, and estimates were made of cumulative admissions, pneumonia recurrence rate, and associated costs of hospital care and medical treatment over the period 1997-2002 for each subgroup.


RESULTS
The per capita costs of medical treatment for pneumonia in those aged 65 years or above were found to be highest in those with chronic lung disease (19,906,086 US dollars), heart disease (19,692,769 US dollars), and diabetes mellitus (8,613,973 US dollars).


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly adults over age 65 years with these chronic diseases should be considered high-priority candidates for pneumococcal vaccination.
Chen
Yeong-Hwang
YH
Department of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Nei-Hu, Taiwan.
Yang
Guang-Yang
GY
Loh
Ching-Hui
CH
Liou
Saou-Hsing
SH
Su
Wen-Lin
WL
Lin
Shih-Hua
SH
Chou
Chih-Chieh
CC
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013624:Taiwan
D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines