The direct and indirect cost burden of clinically significant and symptomatic uterine fibroids.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate direct medical costs and indirect (productivity related) for women age 25 to 54 who had clinically significant and symptomatic uterine fibroids (UF).


METHODS
We compared direct medical expenditures among 30,659 women who had clinically significant and symptomatic UF to expenditures among an equal number of matched controls who did not. We also compared indirect costs for a sub-sample of 910 employed women in each group. Regression analyses controlled for demographic and casemix factors.


RESULTS
Mean 12-month direct medical costs for women with UF were $11,720 versus $3257 for controls, and mean 12-month indirect costs for women with UF were $11,752 versus $8083 for controls. Differences were statistically significant (P<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
UF is a costly disorder and merits thought as interventions are considered to improve women's health and productivity.
Lee
David W
DW
Health Economics and Outcomes Research, GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA.
Ozminkowski
Ronald J
RJ
Carls
Ginger Smith
GS
Wang
Shaohung
S
Gibson
Teresa B
TB
Stewart
Elizabeth A
EA
D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000191:economics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014481:United States