Medical-care costs associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in Vietnam veterans
Date
2000
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Abstract
Objective. This study examined the relationship between medical-care costs of Vietnam veterans and predictor factors, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method. We merged medical-care cost data from the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Health Insurance Commission with data from an epidemiological study of 641 Australian Vietnam veterans. Posttraumatic stress disorder and other factors were examined as predictors of medical-care cost using regression analysis. Results. We found that a diagnosis of PTSD was associated with medical costs 60% higher than average. Those costs appeared to be partly associated with higher treatment costs for physical conditions in those with PTSD and also related mental health comorbidities. Major predictors of medical-care cost were age ($137 per year for each 5-year increase in age) and number of diagnoses reported ($81 to $112 per year for each diagnosis). Mental health factors such as depression ($14 per year for each symptom reported) and anxiety ($27 per year for each symptom reported) were also important predictors. Conclusions. The findings indicate that, however they are incurred, high health-care and, presumably, also economic and personal costs are associated with PTSD. There is an important social obligation as well as substantial economic reasons to deal with these problems. From both perspectives, continued efforts to identify and implement effective prevention and treatment programs are warranted.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: adult; age; aged; anxiety; article; comorbidity; controlled study; depression; health care cost; health status; human; human experiment; medical care; mental health; posttraumatic stress disorder; prediction; psychiatric diagnosis; soldier; symptomatology Medical-care utilisation cost; Mental health; PTSD; Vietnam veterans
Citation
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Source
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Type
Journal article
Book Title
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DOI
10.1046/j.1440-1614.2000.00831.x
Restricted until
2037-12-31