title: Regression models for analyzing costs and their determinants in health care: an introductory review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to describe the various approaches in multivariable modelling of healthcare costs data and to synthesize the respective criticisms as proposed in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present regression methods suitable for the analysis of healthcare costs and then apply them to an experimental setting in cardiovascular treatment (COSTAMI study) and an observational setting in diabetes hospital care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show how methods can produce different results depending on the degree of matching between the underlying assumptions of each method and the specific characteristics of the healthcare problem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The matching of healthcare cost models to the analytic objectives and characteristics of the data available to a study requires caution. The study results and interpretation can be heavily dependent on the choice of model with a real risk of spurious results and conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Via Loredan 18, 35121 Padova, Italy. dario.gregori@unipd.it
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrinco
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desideri
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merletti
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pagano
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018803:Models, Economic; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies