title: Cost benefits of targeting the pneumococcal vaccination program to the elderly population in Taiwan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Nei-Hu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yeong-Hwang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guang-Yang
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ching-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Saou-Hsing
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.forename: Wen-Lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Shih-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chih-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines