Health Care Costs - Science topic

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals, entitled “Innovative Drug Strategies in Chronic Disease Management: Addressing Non-Adherence and Improving Therapeutic Outcomes”. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases has become one of the most important public health problems worldwide....

Much recently, owing to global warming, poor ventilation or inadequate power supply, or even in cases where there is power supply, inability of schools to afford electricity due to high tariff, our classrooms have been thrust into severe heat. This study seeks the impact of classroom heat on behaviour and mental-health among post primary school stu...

With advancements in medical care and improved public health in China, the incidence of hookworm infections has significantly decreased, particularly in first-tier cities. We report a case of severe microcytic hypochromic anaemia caused by hookworm disease. The patient received multiple blood transfusions for unexplained anaemia, with negative faec...

Background Hypertensive crisis, including hypertensive emergency (with target organ damage) and hypertensive urgency (without target organ damage), is a critical public health condition at Livingstone University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Hypertensive crisis has been linked to severe complications, including stroke, renal failure, and heart disease,...

The continued use of low-value cancer screening practices not only represents healthcare waste but also a potential cascade of invasive diagnostic procedures and patient anxiety and distress. While prior research has shown it takes an average of 15 years to implement evidence-based practices in cancer control, little is known about how long it take...

Hospital length of stay (HLOS) is a critical healthcare metric influencing patient outcomes, resource utilization, and healthcare costs. While reducing HLOS can improve hospital efficiency and patient throughput, it also poses risks such as premature discharge, increased readmission rates, and potential compromise of patient safety. This literature...

The human gut is one of the most densely populated microbial environments, home to trillions of microorganisms that live in harmony with the body. These microbes help with digestion and play key roles in maintaining a balanced immune system and protecting us from harmful pathogens. However, the crowded nature of this ecosystem makes it easier for h...

Background Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is the most common subtype of syncope, and it significantly impacts patients' quality of life and incurs substantial healthcare costs. Although the head-up tilt table test (HUTT) is the gold standard method for diagnosing VVS, its sensitivity and specificity are limited, which leads to diagnostic challenges. Combi...

Background Patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) profile patient health status, have been found to be helpful in identifying high health care utilizers, and may be useful in providing targeted interventions to decrease health care costs. In 2013 the University of Utah Health (UU Health) began collecting mental and physical health PROMs using P...

This study synthesized factors associated with health behaviors among Thai elderly through systematic review of ten research articles published between 2015-2024. Findings revealed three main factor categories: personal factors (age, education, income, marital status), knowledge-attitude factors, and access-participation factors (elderly clubs, hea...

The integration of mental health into the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is crucial, particularly in low-resource settings like Ghana. This is a report of an integrated care project in primary care for the management of patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This quality improvement project involved screening, prov...

As global life expectancy increases, research reveals a critical challenge in aging: the progressive deterioration of immune function, termed immunosenescence. This age-related immune decline is characterized by a complex dysregulation of immune responses, which leaves older adults increasingly vulnerable to infections, chronic inflammatory states,...

Background Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often chronic and impairing. Mechanisms that maintain symptoms remain poorly understood because of heterogenous presentation. We parsed this heterogeneity by examining how individual differences in stress-symptom dynamics relate to the long-term maintenance of PTSD. Methods We studied 7,308 trauma...

Background and Aims This study aims to understand how healthcare cost coverage (HCC) status affects hypertension and diabetes care across the three major care steps: awareness, treatment initiation and control. Methods The probability of progressing the care steps was determined with logistic regression. The backward movements of two care steps (t...

The ability to walk is often lost after neural injury, leading to multiple secondary complications that reduce quality of life and increase healthcare costs. The current rehabilitation interventions primarily focus on restoring leg movements through intensive training on a treadmill or using robotic devices, but ignore engaging the arms. Several gr...

Objectives This study investigates the impact of police stop and search encounters (SSEs) on knife injuries and homicides in public places in London. While prior research has studied SSE impact on crime in general, we focus specifically on SSE relations to weapon-related injuries and deaths: whether conducting more SSEs over time has reduced such c...

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), launched in September 2018 under India's Ayushman Bharat initiative, seeks to provide financial protection against secondary and tertiary healthcare costs for over 500 million vulnerable citizens, offering up to INR 5 lakh per family annually. This study assesses awareness levels among PM-JAY beneficia...

Medicines alone contribute to 54% of the total treatment cost [2]. And households pay nearly 97% of pharmaceutical costs out-of-pocket, and 56% of them are for medicines [3][2]. This often leads individuals to forgo necessary treatments.In 2022, around 6.1 million people were pushed below the poverty line due to healthcare-related expenses, which i...

Personalization in healthcare recommendations represents a transformative approach that tailors medical advice and treatment strategies to individual patient characteristics, preferences, and needs. This paradigm shift, driven by advancements in technology such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics, seeks to move beyond the traditional...

The global rise in CO₂ emissions has led to significant climate changes, from more extreme weather events to rising sea levels and disrupted ecosystems. While the environmental consequences are increasingly apparent, the economic cost of inaction on CO₂ reduction is equally profound. The long-term economic impacts of failing to curb emissions are i...

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by widespread inflammation and tissue damage across multiple organ systems. The economic burden associated with SLE is substantial, stemming from frequent healthcare utilization, long-term medication costs, and indirect costs due to disability and loss of productivity....

The expansion of public health insurance programs affects payers as well as the behavior of service providers. In this paper, we study the expansion of Swiss mandatory health insurance in 2012 to include complementary and alternative medicine physician services. The policy change provides a quasi-experimental design that allows us to estimate the c...

Background: Caregiver burden refers to the detrimental effects of caregiving on a caregiver's health, well-being, quality of life (QoL), and adaptation to challenging circumstances. The trajectory of any chronic mental disease is determined by the burden of morbidity, treatment costs, and the caregivers' responsibilities during the rehabilitation p...

Background Broad-spectrum antibiotic use in febrile neutropenia is often driven by concerns for severe and drug-resistant infections. In select patients who do not have an active infection and improve, their prolonged and unnecessary use contributes to antimicrobial resistance, drug toxicity, and increased healthcare costs. We describe the implemen...

Introduction Temporary hypocalcaemia is common following Total thyroidectomy hypocalcemia and is attributed to inadvertent parathyroid gland injury or ischemia. This postoperative hypocalcaemia may be made worse by the disturbance of calcium metabolism brought on by vitamin-D insufficiency (VDD). Methods A prospective randomised observational pilo...

Healthcare costs tend to increase with age. In particular, in the case of illness, the last year before death can be an exceptionally costly period as the need for healthcare increases. Using a novel private insurance dataset containing over one million records of claims submitted by individuals to their health insurance providers during the last y...

Background: Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are prevalent postoperative complications that can lead to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and elevated healthcare costs. Prophylactic antibiotic administration is a standard practice aimed at reducing the incidence of SSIs. This study compares the efficacy of ceftriaxone and levofloxacin a...

The global health burden of sepsis is immense, characterized by significant loss of life and high healthcare costs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with its over two millennia of clinical practice in China, has gained attention as a potential adjunctive approach for sepsis. Here, we evaluated TCM applications in sepsis management, highlighting...

Background Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a rare disease poorly described in real-world settings. This observational retrospective study aimed to assess the direct healthcare burden of new IgAN patients on the Italian National Healthcare Service (SSN). Methods From the Fondazione Ricerca e Salute’s database (administrative healthcare data...

The standard analytical framework of insurance markets by Einav and Finkelstein (EF) focuses on the problem of welfare loss for low-risk individuals. A key assumption of this framework is that demand and cost curves are tightly linked, meaning that people are willing to pay a price equal to their expected cost plus a risk premium. Using data from t...

The use of midline catheters and long peripheral catheters, as an alternative to short peripheral catheters, has become increasingly common, mainly due to their prolonged dwell time. This, in turn, improves patient experience, increases the efficiency of medical staff and reduces healthcare costs. Nevertheless, the introduction of midline catheters...

Background Metabolic and bariatric surgery improves most obesity-related comorbidities. Here, we evaluate the effect of different metabolic and bariatric surgery interventions on the use of medications to treat chronic conditions. Materials and Methods This was an observational population-based cohort study performed in Lombardy, Italy. Healthcare...

Background/Objectives: Pediatric postoperative respiratory failure in the United States is increasingly considered a significant adverse event due to the increased risk of co-morbidities, suffering, and cost of healthcare. This study investigates associations between pediatric adverse events (PAEs) and hospital and patient characteristics within th...

Background Internalising and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (ICM-MM) represents a major clinical challenge, negatively impacting life expectancy and quality of life and resulting in considerable healthcare costs. Individuals with a copy number variant associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental conditions (ND-CNV) are more likely to develo...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed various fields of medicine, with endocrinology being no exception. One of the most notable areas where AI, particularly deep learning, has shown immense potential is in tracking and predicting complications of diabetes. Diabetes, a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar levels, can l...

The use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has transformed healthcare systems worldwide, providing vast amounts of patient data that can be leveraged to improve clinical decision-making. One of the most promising applications of this data is in predicting and forecasting chronic diseases like diabetes. Diabetes is a global health crisis, with milli...

Background Despite Bangladesh being one of the major hotspots of thalassemia in the world, this preventable inherited blood disorder is neglected in research and policy level. Mothers are the primary caregivers of children in South Asian countries with limited resources. Caring for a child with thalassemia can be an emotionally challenging experien...

Antimicrobial resistance is a severe global threat, compromising existing antibiotics’ effectiveness, making infections harder to treat, and increasing illness duration, healthcare costs, and death rates. This highlights the need for novel antimicrobial drugs. Nanomaterials, with their improved stability and bioavailability, offer a promising alter...

Background Monitoring breastfeeding rates has important health policy implications, as breastfeeding has significant positive impacts on maternal and child health and healthcare costs. This up-to-date, national, population-based breastfeeding rates study in Israel provides important information for health policy development. Methods Breastfeeding...

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a significant health and economic burden worldwide, with China bearing a considerable portion of this burden. Chinese treatment coverage remains low, and the full economic implications of achieving these goals are not well understood. Objective This study aims to evaluate the macroeconomic burden of HCV fro...

Machine learning has increasingly gained prominence in the healthcare sector due to its ability to address various challenges. However, a significant issue remains unresolved in this field: the handling of imbalanced data. This process is crucial for ensuring the efficiency of algorithms that utilize classification techniques, which are commonly ap...

Purpose Obesity is a global public health issue linked to worsened skin and subcutaneous tissue infections (SSTIs), complicating clinical management and increasing healthcare costs. This study aimed to evaluate obesity’s influence on hospitalization duration, readmission rates, and healthcare costs among patients with SSTIs, with an emphasis on sex...

Objective: This study is to evaluate the role of traditional bonesetter (TBS) practices in the management of trauma in Balochistan, Pakistan, focusing on the complications, treatment delays, patient outcomes, and associated healthcare costs. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Orthopeadic...

This poster presents a post hoc subgroup analysis from the IRONMAN randomized controlled trial, evaluating the impact of intravenous ferric derisomaltose (FDI) versus usual care (UC) on hospitalization metrics in U.S.-relevant patients with heart failure (HF) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Focusing on patients requiring ≤1,000 mg of iron—aligned...

Significant disruptions have recently afflicted global value chains (GVCs), causing shortages of essential products like antibiotics. Antibiotic shortages are a prioritized issue for policymakers because they increase patient suffering and healthcare costs. Focusing on the case of Sweden, we use a unique dataset of generic antibiotic GVCs and show...

Mental health disorders, particularly F20–F29 (schizophrenia, schizotypal, and delusional disorders) and F30–F39 (mood [affective] disorders), pose a growing burden on Slovakia’s healthcare system. This study analyzed retrospective data from 2015 to 2019 to assess associated costs and projected trends for 2020–2030 under three scenarios: linear, ex...

Antibiotics are a group of drugs that play an important role in health care. They are a decisive weapon in the treatment of infectious diseases caused by bacteria. However, this group of drugs is currently the most abused group of drugs. The irrational use of antibiotics leads to many serious consequences, especially the increase in the rate of ant...

Introduction Mirikizumab, approved for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), may be prescribed in a similar placement to ustekinumab in second-line settings. Payers may compare the economic value when making formulary decisions. This study estimated and compared the cost per remission of the second-line therapies m...

Background This study evaluates the impact of a diabetes specialist nurse intervention on clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization among patients with diabetes. Methods A cohort of 452 patients was observed from 2019 to 2022. Clinical metrics such as HbA1C levels and BMI, as well as healthcare utilization patterns, were analyzed before and aft...

Introduction Health-related social needs (HRSNs) encompass various non-medical risks from a patient’s life circumstances. The emergency department (ED) is a crucial yet challenging setting for addressing patient HRSNs, a clinical decision support (CDS) intervention could assist in identifying patients at high risk of having HRSNs. This project aims...

Background Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) increase morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs of hospitalised patients, despite being largely preventable. While evidence-based guidelines for preventing CLABSI are well-established, the implementation of these measures remain suboptimal. Digitalization presents a promising ap...

In the 19th century, botulinum toxin was recognized solely as a poison. Subsequent research led to its medical applications, and today, it is predominantly utilized in aesthetic medicine. However, its therapeutic potential extends beyond cosmetic procedures. This review examines the use of botulinum toxin in the management of migraine, bruxism, and...

Wearable technology has emerged as a transformative tool in the management of chronic diseases, enabling continuous monitoring, real-time data collection, and personalized interventions. These devices, ranging from fitness trackers to medical-grade wearables, provide patients and healthcare providers with the ability to track vital signs, activity...

Background Burns represent a major global public health concern, especially in low- and middle-income nations, where they cause high rates of morbidity and death as well as a large financial burden. More than a million Indians experience moderate-to-severe burns every year. Detailed, cost-focused research is lacking. This study fills this gap by ca...

Healthcare is at its best when it is proactive rather than reactive. Many critical health conditions, such as heart disease and hypertension, develop over time, often showing subtle warning signs before becoming severe. MediWatch is designed to bridge this gap by providing real-time health monitoring and AI-powered predictions to help individuals a...

Objectives: Adequate ventilation and air filtration in the operating theatre are essential measures to prevent surgical site infections, which impact on hospital stay, healthcare costs and increased risk of mortality. The aim of the study is to assess how other factors, such as the number of operators and the opening of doors during surgery, affect...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the healthcare industry, offering innovative solutions for personalized medicine. By leveraging vast datasets and advanced algorithms, AI facilitates the development of tailored treatment plans, optimizing patient outcomes. Machine learning, natural language processing, and predi...

Male-factor infertility accounts for nearly half of all infertility cases worldwide, yet conventional semen analysis methods--both manual and computer-assisted--can yield inconsistent results. Such inaccuracy can lead to misleading diagnosis, unnecessary interventions (e.g., IVF/ICSI), and potentially increased healthcare costs. Here, we present a...

Objective This study aims to construct and evaluate a digital admission management platform for ophthalmology in China, assessing its impact on nurse reception time, patient satisfaction, human cost and healthcare staff experience, with the goal of enhancing the efficiency and quality of ophthalmic medical services. Methods A multidisciplinary tea...

Background In most low-income countries (LICs), health is mainly financed by out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures. However, it is claimed that this form of payment causes a massive burden on poor households. This study investigates the catastrophic impact of out-of-pocket health expenditure by estimating the levels, intensities and distribution of cata...

The limited cytosolic delivery of DNA and protein‐based therapeutics due to endosomal entrapment reduces drug efficacy, increasing treatment costs and possible side effects in human and veterinary medicine as a consequence of higher administered dosages. Plant‐derived triterpenoid saponins, specifically those with endosomal escape‐enhancing (EEE) p...

Background Health insurance plays a vital role in reducing healthcare costs and promoting equitable access to medical services. However, coverage gaps persist in many regions, impeding progress toward universal health coverage as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This study aims to comprehensively review recent research on health in...

Purpose Patients with rare diseases often undergo a long diagnostic odyssey. However, there is little empirical evidence on the cost incurred during the diagnostic pathway for patients with suspected rare diseases. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of healthcare costs and utilization during the diagnostic pathway for a heterogeneous samp...

Tertiary care hospitals play a vital role in providing specialized medical services for complicated health conditions. However, tertiary care hospitals often face increase patient loads that leads to long wait times specially for procedures, increased healthcare costs, and increase burden on medical professionals. One of the most effective way to d...

Pressure injuries are common among individuals with spinal cord injury and often complicated by superinfection, leading to sepsis, hospitalizations, and significant healthcare costs. Osteomyelitis associated with pressure injuries poses diagnostic challenges and requires effective medical and surgical management. To investigate current practices, a...

Background: Post-stroke equinovarus foot (EVF) impairs gait stability, increases the risk of secondary injuries, and contributes to elevated healthcare costs. However, effective targeted interventions for EVF remain limited. Patient concerns: Two patients with chronic EVF—a 63.5-year-old male (9.7 months post-stroke) and a 35.7-year-old female (24....

Background Sales of commercial milk formula products (CMF) are rising rapidly. This study analysed key economic and environmental impacts CMF feeding in Indonesia, which are often overlooked in policy discussions despite their relevance. Methods We assessed the economic and environmental impacts of CMF in Indonesia in 2020 using the Mothers’ Milk...

Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most prevalent infections among kidney transplant recipients, with recurrent cases imposing a significant financial burden due to increased hospitalizations and treatment costs. Objective This study aims to investigate the incidence of recurrent UTIs and evaluate the financial impact of a comprehe...

The increasing focus on improving care for high-cost patients has highlighted the potential of Hospital at Home (HaH) and remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs to optimize patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. This paper examines the role of wearable devices with electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities for continuous cardiac monitoring,...

Citation: Seung, S.J.; Wong, A.; Milan, R.; Chandran, N.; Razak, A.R.A. Epidemiology, Treatment Patterns, Survival, Healthcare Resource Utilization, and Costs of Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma (DDLPS) in Canada: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Administrative Databases in Ontario. Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32, 273. https://doi. Abstract: Background: Dedif...

Objectives Reducing low-value care, resource overuse, and healthcare emissions are critical objectives for Austrian policymakers. Overprescription of medication contributes to public health, environmental, and economic challenges. Research in Austria is limited, often focusing on specific drugs or patient groups. This study aims to provide baseline...

Pneumonia and Listeriosis are significant public health concerns, both individually and as co-infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and infants. Using a mathematical modeling approach, this study explores the epidemiological impact of Pneumonia–Listeriosis co-infection within human po...

Medication adherence is a critical component of successful healthcare management, especially for patients with chronic conditions. However, non-adherence to prescribed medication regimens is a widespread issue, leading to poor health outcomes, increased hospitalizations, and higher healthcare costs. Traditional methods for monitoring and improving...

Biomaterials stimulate diverse biological responses, including inflammation, wound healing, foreign body reactions, and fibrous encapsulation, all critical for evaluating biocompatibility and effectiveness. These responses are influenced by the material's physicochemical and biological properties, such as composition, texture, and surface character...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) imposes a substantial economic burden on patients, healthcare systems, and society in the United States. This study examines the direct and indirect costs associated with SLE, including healthcare utilization trends such as hospitalizations, outpatient visits, medication use, and long-term care. Using recent natio...

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that severely impacts quality of life and carries a substantial economic burden. This multicenter observational study generated real-world evidence on HS in Italy, focusing on clinical profiles, management, and costs. Data were collected from 50 adults at four specialized centers...

Adequate physical activity is crucial for health, preventing diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and depression. The WHO advises adults to engage in 150 min of moderate or 75 min of intense activity weekly, with higher recommendations for seniors. Yet, those with intellectual relational disability (IRD) or psychiatric disorders often...

Background Environmental drivers of healthcare costs are mainly unknown. Studies that account for changes in longitudinal, within-individual changes accompanying changes in residential addresses have not been conducted. In the current study, we tested whether moving to a greener neighborhood was associated with decreases in healthcare costs and whe...

Air pollution i greatly increased over the years, mainly due to increased exposure to environmental pollutants in urban areas, resulting in a steep increase in related healthcare costs. Asthma and COPD, both worsened by air pollution, have put a growing strain on healthcare systems through higher rates of hospitalization, long-term treatments and m...

Purpose In the wake of ever-increasing health care costs, solutions are sought to make health care more affordable, such as moving hospital outpatient procedures to office-based laboratory (OBL) settings. A budget impact model was constructed to estimate the health plan cost benefit of moving 50% of yttrium-90 resin microspheres (Y-90) selective in...

Chuna Manual Therapy (CMT) is a component of traditional Korean Medicine that was integrated into national health insurance coverage of the Republic of Korea in 2019 to improve accessibility. This study investigates the impact of this policy change on CMT utilization patterns using data from the Korean Medicine Utilization and Herbal Medicine Consu...

Rising life expectancy and changes in disease patterns have led to an increase in retiree medical costs. Understanding these trends is essential for ensuring the financial sustainability of retiree healthcare programs. The aim of this study was to analyze medical cost inflation and its drivers in Indonesia's employer-sponsored retiree health insura...

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), as the leading cause of mortality worldwide, impose substantial health-related costs. Lifestyle modification through education and counseling is a key strategy in CVD management. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a nurse-led intervention on CVDs-related health costs and lifestyle habits among Chinese adults...

Background Polypharmacy is a major safety concern, associated with adverse outcomes, higher health services utilization, and healthcare costs. However, there is limited data on polypharmacy in the outpatient settings in semi-urban primary care settings. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with polypharmacy among adults receiving outpa...