title: Socioeconomic Effects of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease from the Public Payer's Perspective in Poland.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the third most common cause of death worldwide and the total number of people affected reaches over 200 million. It is estimated that approximately 50 % of persons having COPD are not aware of it. In the EU, it is estimated that the total annual costs of COPD exceed €140 billion, and the expected increase in the number of cases and deaths due to COPD would further enhance economic and social costs of the disease. In this article we present the results of cost analysis of health care benefits associated with the treatment of COPD and with the disease-related incapacity for work. The analysis is based on the data of the National Health Fund and the Social Insurance Institutions, public payers of health benefits in Poland. The annual 2012 expenditures incurred for COPD treatment was €40 million, and the benefits associated with incapacity for work reached more than €55 million. The extent of these expenditures indicates that it is necessary to optimize the functioning system, including the allocation of resources for prevention, social awareness, and detection of COPD at early stages when treatment costs are relatively low.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 20 Nowowiejska St., 00-653, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Weronika
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wziątek-Nowak
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Policy, Lodz Medical University, 4 Al. Kościuszki St., 90-419, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gierczyński
authors.affiliation: Military Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense, Military Institute of Medicine, 128 Szaserów St., 04-141, Warsaw, Poland.|Allergy and COPD Patient Associations, Polish Federation of Asthma, 20/316 Świętokrzyska St., 00-002, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dąbrowiecki
authors.affiliation: Łazarski University, 43 Świeradowska St., 02-662, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gałązka-Sobotka
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Wroclaw Medical University, 5 K. Bartla St., 51-618, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fal
authors.affiliation: Łazarski University, 43 Świeradowska St., 02-662, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gryglewicz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 20 Nowowiejska St., 00-653, Warsaw, Poland. artur.badyda@is.pw.edu.pl.|Allergy and COPD Patient Associations, Polish Federation of Asthma, 20/316 Świętokrzyska St., 00-002, Warsaw, Poland. artur.badyda@is.pw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Artur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Badyda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D012943:Social Security; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Health care benefits; Prevention; Social awareness; Treatment costs