title: Costs Attributable to Overweight and Obesity in Working Asthma Patients in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate annual health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight or obesity in working asthmatic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted using the 2003-2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in the United States. Patients aged 18 to 64 years with asthma were identified via self-reported diagnosis, a Clinical Classification Code of 128, or a ICD-9-CM code of 493.xx. All-cause health care costs were estimated using a generalized linear model with a log function and a gamma distribution. Productivity loss costs were estimated in relation to hourly wages and missed work days, and a two-part model was used to adjust for patients with zero costs. To estimate the costs attributable to overweight or obesity in asthma patients, costs were estimated by the recycled prediction method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 11670 working patients with a diagnosis of asthma, 4428 (35.2%) were obese and 3761 (33.0%) were overweight. The health care costs attributable to obesity and overweight in working asthma patients were estimated to be $878 [95% confidence interval (CI): $861-$895] and $257 (95% CI: $251-$262) per person per year, respectively, from 2003 to 2013. The productivity loss costs attributable to obesity and overweight among working asthma patients were $256 (95% CI: $253-$260) and $26 (95% CI: $26-$27) per person per year, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight and obesity in asthma patients are substantial. This study's results highlight the importance of effective public health and educational initiatives targeted at reducing overweight and obesity among patients with asthma, which may help lower the economic burden of asthma.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chongwon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byoung Whui
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sujin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Kyeong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Haedong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seungwon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeung
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea. dongsuh75@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dong Churl
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asthma; attributable costs; obesity; productivity loss costs; treatment costs