title: Resource use and costs of treating acute cough/lower respiratory tract infections in 13 European countries: results and challenges.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to estimate the resource use and cost of treating acute cough/lower respiratory tract infection (acute cough/LRTI) in 13 European countries, to explore reasons for differences in cost and to document the challenges that researchers face when collecting information on cost alongside multinational studies. Data on resource use and cost were collected alongside an observational study in 14 primary care networks across 13 European countries and a mean cost was generated for each network. The results show that the mean cost (standard deviation) of treating acute cough/LRTI in Europe ranged from euro23.88 (34.67) in Balatonfüred (Hungary) to euro116.47 (34.29) in Jonkoping (Sweden). The observed differences in costs were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Major cost drivers include general practitioner visits and drug costs in all networks, whilst differences in health systems and regional factors could account for differences in cost between networks. The major barrier to conducting multinational cost studies are barriers associated with identifying cost information.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Unit, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Public Health Building, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. r.a.oppong@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oppong
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coast
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuttall
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003625:Data Collection; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents