title: [Direct and indirect costs of fractures due to osteoporosis in Austria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the financial burden of osteoporosis in Austria.
  
  
  METHODS
  We took both direct and indirect costs into consideration. Direct costs encompass medical costs such as expenses for pharmaceuticals, inpatient and outpatient medical care costs, as well as other medical services (e.g., occupational therapies). Non-medical direct costs include transportation costs and medical devices (e.g., wheel chairs or crutches). Indirect costs refer to costs of productivity losses due to absence of work. Moreover, we included costs for early retirement and opportunity costs of informal care provided by family members. While there exist similar studies for other countries, this is the first comprehensive study for Austria. For our analysis, we combined data of official statistics, expert estimates as well as unique patient surveys that are currently conducted in the course of an international osteoporotic fracture study in Austria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our estimation of the total annual costs in the year 2008 imposed by osteoporosis in Austria is 707.4 million €. The largest fraction of this amount is incurred by acute hospital treatment. Another significant figure, accounting for 29% of total costs, is the opportunity cost of informal care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The financial burden of osteoporosis in Austria is substantial. Economic evaluations of preventive and therapeutic interventions for the specific context of Austria are needed to inform health policy decision makers.
authors.affiliation: Klinische Abteilung für Endokrinologie und Stoff wechsel, Medizinische Universität Graz.
authors.forename: H-P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dimai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Redlich
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Viernstein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahlich
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D001317:Austria; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005543:Forearm Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005791:Patient Care / Q000191:economics*; D010415:Pensions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control