Trends in health care expenditures, utilization, and health status among US adults with spine problems, 1997-2006.
METHODS
Analysis of nationally representative survey data for spine-related health care expenditures, utilization and self-reported health status.


OBJECTIVE
To study trends from 1997 to 2006 in per-user expenditures for spine-related inpatient, outpatient, pharmacy, and emergency services; and to compare these trends to changes in health status.


BACKGROUND
Although prior work has shown overall spine-related expenditures accounted for $86 billion in 2005, increasing 65% since 1997, the study did not report per-user expenditures. Understanding population-level per-user expenditure for specific services relative to changes in the health status may help assess the value of these services.


METHODS
We analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a multistage survey sample designed to produce unbiased national estimates of health care utilization and expenditure. Spine-related hospitalizations, outpatient visits, prescription medications and emergency department visits were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes. Regression analyses controlling for age, sex, comorbidity, and time (years) were used to examine trends from 1997 to 2006 in inflation-adjusted per-user expenditures, and utilization, and self-reported health status.


RESULTS
An average of 1774 respondents with spine problems was surveyed per year; the proportion suggested an increase in the number of people who sought treatment for spine problems in the United States from 14.8 million in 1997 to 21.9 million in 2006. From 1997 to 2006, the mean adjusted per-user expenditures were the largest component of increasing total costs for inpatient hospitalizations, prescription medications, andemergency department visits, increasing 37% (from $13,040 in 1997 to $17,909 in 2006), 139% (from $166 to $397), and 84% (from $81 to $149), respectively. A 49% increase in the number of patients seeking spine-related care (from 12.2 million in 1997 to 18.2 million in 2006) was the largest contributing factor to increased outpatient expenditures. Population measures of mental health and work, social, and physical limitations worsened over time among people with spine problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Expenditure increases for spine-related inpatient, prescription, and emergency services were primarily the result of increasing per-user expenditures, while those related to outpatient visits were primarily due to an increase in the number of users of ambulatory services.
Martin
Brook I
BI
Departments of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. bim@u.washington.edu
Turner
Judith A
JA
Mirza
Sohail K
SK
Lee
Michael J
MJ
Comstock
Bryan A
BA
Deyo
Richard A
RA
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016527:Drug Costs; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends*; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D055553:Prescription Drugs