Indirect costs associated with nonadherence to treatment for bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between treatment adherence and indirect productivity costs within a cohort of commercially insured employees with bipolar disorder in the United States.


METHODS
Adults diagnosed with bipolar disorder who had at least one prescription claim for a mood stabilizer or atypical antipsychotic, with 6 months prior and 12 months subsequent continuous medical and prescription coverage, were identified in the MarketScan research databases (2000-2005). Two-part multiple regression models estimated the association between adherence (medication possession ratio > or =0.80) and costs of absence, short-term disability, and workers' compensation.


RESULTS
Of 1258 eligible employees, only 35.3% were adherent. Relative to adherent employees, nonadherent employees had higher adjusted indirect costs due to absence (+$771.41), short-term disability (+$284.72), and workers' compensation (+$360.63).


CONCLUSIONS
Employers incur greater indirect costs when employees are not adherent to bipolar treatment.
Bagalman
Erin
E
Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters, Washington, DC 20008, USA. erin.bagalman@thomsonreuters.com
Yu-Isenberg
Kristina S
KS
Durden
Emily
E
Crivera
Concetta
C
Dirani
Riad
R
Bunn
William B
WB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult