title: Burden of rheumatoid arthritis from a societal perspective: A prevalence-based study on cost of this illness for patients in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a comprehensive estimation of the economic burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China, especially for patients from less developed areas, and to explore the cost transferability between regions to assist healthcare decision-making.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in south and north China from May 2013 to December 2013. The burden of RA was investigated by interviewing participants with a questionnaire battery containing socio-demographic, cost of illness (COI) and medical treatments. The COI questionnaire captured direct, indirect and intangible costs. Direct costs included hospitalizations, outpatient visits and medications. Indirect costs were estimated using the human capital approach, and intangible costs valued through the willingness-to-pay approach. All cost data were converted to 2013 US dollars by purchasing power parity, and then summarized descriptively and analyzed with mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were administered to 133 RA patients. The average direct costs were $1917.21 ± $2559.06 per patient year, with medications at $1283.89 ± $1898.15 comprising more than 50% of the total. The average indirect costs were $492.88 ± $1739.74 per patient year, while intangible costs were $20396.30 ± $31145.10. There was no significant difference detected between regions. Recent hospitalization was tested as a significant predictor of the direct costs. Age and income were significantly associated with indirect and intangible costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Besides the substantial burden in terms of direct medical costs and productivity lost, there were notable intangible costs, especially among older patients. This conclusion could be potentially expanded to other provinces in China or even other countries through the adjustments for transferability.
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Luan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Taizhou No.4 Renmin Hospital, Taizhou, China.
authors.forename: Keqin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Shu-Chuen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: Chinese; burden of disease; cost of illness; rheumatoid arthritis