title: The costs of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in Taiwan: a prevalence-based annual cost approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the costs of the health effects of cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure to society.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence-based, disease-specific cost-of-illness study. We used an epidemiological population-attributable risk method to determine the costs that can be attributed to smoking and SHS exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  All adult population aged 35 and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct costs of healthcare expenditures spent for treating tobacco-related diseases, indirect mortality costs measured by the value of lost productivity due to tobacco-related premature deaths and indirect morbidity costs measured by the value of time lost from work due to tobacco-related illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2010, direct costs of smoking and SHS exposure amounted to US$828 million, accounting for 3.4% of Taiwan's total personal healthcare expenditures. Smoking and SHS exposure also contributed to 15 555 premature deaths-corresponding to a loss of 284 765 years of life and US$820 million in productivity-and US$22 million in indirect morbidity costs. These direct and indirect costs totalled US$1670 million, representing 0.4% of Taiwan's gross domestic product and averaging about US$720/adult smoker. The share of the total costs was greater from active smoking (92%) than SHS exposure (8%), and greater for men (92%) than women (8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking and SHS exposure impose a huge financial loss in Taiwan. Sustained tobacco control efforts to encourage people to quit smoking, prevent smoking uptake by children and young adults and protect all people from SHS exposure are needed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors.forename: Hai-Yen
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Chuan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Informatics and Medical Statistics Research Center, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: HEALTH ECONOMICS; PUBLIC HEALTH; STATISTICS & RESEARCH METHODS