title: Socioeconomic burden of influenza in the Republic of Korea, 2007-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the socioeconomic burden of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) was considerable, no reliable estimates have been reported. Our aim was to compared medical costs and socioeconomic burden resulting from pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 with that of previous seasonal influenza.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the medical costs and socioeconomic burden of influenza from May 2007 to April 2010. We used representative national data sources(data from the Health Insurance Review Agency, the National Health Insurance Corporation, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Korean National Statistics Office) including medical utilization, prescription of antivirals, and vaccination. Uncertainty of data was explored through sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the seasonal influenza, total medical costs (US$291.7 million) associated with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 increased more than 37-fold. Compared with the 2007-2008 season, outpatient diagnostic costs (US$135.3 million) were 773 times higher in the 2009-2010 season, and the mean diagnostic cost per outpatient visit was 58.8 times higher. Total socioeconomic burden of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was estimated at US$1581.3 million (10%-90%: US$1436.0-1808.3 million) and those of seasonal influenza was estimated at US$44.7 million (10%-90%: US$32.4-57.9 million) in 2007-2008 season and US$42.3 million (10%-90%: US$31.5-53.8 million) in 2008-2009 season. Indirect costs accounted for 56.0% of total costs in pandemic (H1N1) 2009, and 66.48-68.09% in seasonal influenza. The largest contributors to total burden were productivity losses of caregiver in pandemic (H1N1) 2009, and productivity losses due to morbidity of outpatient in seasonal influenza.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the Republic of Korea, socioeconomic burden of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 were considerably higher than burden of the previous two influenza seasons, primarily because of high diagnostic costs and longer sick leave.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Ryong
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Han
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Helath Insurance Review & Assessment Service, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Helath Insurance Review & Assessment Service, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byongho
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tchoe
authors.affiliation: Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chung Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Koo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Yool
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoosik
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Youm
authors.affiliation: Environmental Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gwi-Nam
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Shik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Chun
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Changsoo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000502:physiology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D058873:Pandemics / Q000191:economics; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons