title: The economic burden of psoriatic diseases in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is associated with significant economic burdens. Data regarding costs for psoriasis patients in Taiwan are not available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the economic burden of psoriasis in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psoriasis patients and their controls were identified from the 2006 National Health Insurance (NHI) research database, and differences in annual healthcare utilization and costs between psoriasis cases and controls were predicted by two-part models and generalized linear models. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in five hospital settings to collect information on out-of-pocket payments and productivity losses associated with seeking care. All analyses were stratified by the severity level of psoriasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the payer's perspective, the NHI cost associated with moderate to severe psoriasis (sPsO) was NT$41,525 and that with mild psoriasis (mPsO) was NT$14,816. Adding the out-of-pocket payments (NT$13,095 for sPsO and NT$7237 for mPsO) and the loss of productivity (NT$6203 for sPsO and NT$2750 for mPsO), the annual total cost for sPsO was NT$60,823 and that for mPsO was NT$24,803.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psoriasis is associated with significant economic burdens in Taiwan. Effective treatment of the disease could produce substantial savings in healthcare resources and gains in productivity.
authors: School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Kuan-Chen
authors: KC
authors: Chen
authors: School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Sheng-Tzu
authors: ST
authors: Hung
authors: College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors: Ching-Wen Wendy
authors: CW
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: tftsai@yahoo.com.
authors: Tsen-Fang
authors: TF
authors: Tsai
authors: School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chtang@tmu.edu.tw.
authors: Chao-Hsiun
authors: CH
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004469:Economics, Hospital; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010045:Outpatients; D010343:Patient Admission; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000191:economics*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cost-of-illness; Economic burdens; National Health Insurance; Psoriasis; Taiwan