[Cost-benefit analysis on the strategy of social health insurance regarding vaccination against influenza in Xi'an city].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the economic implications of an annual vaccination strategy against influenza among people who were on a social-health program.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted. 1900 persons who had received the influenza vaccine were served as vaccine group, while 1049 persons who did not receive the vaccine were served as controls. Cluster random sampling method was used. Both of these two groups came from Donfang Company in which there were 12,109 employers in total and all of them joined the social health insurance program. The survey was carried out when the influenza vaccine was given one year ago.


RESULTS
The rates of vaccine group and control group for respiratory system diseases and cardiovascular diseases who were hospitalized, were 0.51%, 2.47% and 1.64%, 5.62% which showed 68.90% and 56.05% decrease, when compared with the control group. The crude inpatient rate among vaccinees and control group after receiving the vaccination for three and four month were 0.62%, 0.80% and 0.28%, 1.00% respectively. The inpatient rate of oldest-age group decreased by 53.59%, compared with control group. The cost-benefit ratio generated by the use of influenza vaccine in reducing the hospitalization rate was 6.48:1 for Social Health Insurants in Xi'an city.


CONCLUSIONS
The Strategy to vaccinate the social-health-insured residents on influenza in Xi'an city had gained better economic benefits in reducing the hospitalization rate of respiratory system diseases and cardiovascular diseases for mild and old-aged persons.
Gao
Jian-min
JM
Department of Public Health, Medical School of Xi' an Jiao Tong University, Xi' an 710061, China.
Yu
Qiang
Q
Tang
Guo-hui
GH
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012943:Social Security / Q000191:economics*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines