Objective To investigate the economic burden of inpatients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-related diseases (including primary liver cancer, hepatitis B cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis B) and its impact on family financial status in Qidong, Jiangsu Province, China.Methods Cluster random sampling was used to select consecutive cases of HBV infection-related diseases who were hospitalized in The People's Hospital of Qidong and Qidong Hospital for Infectious Diseases from May 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.A questionnaire survey was performed to collect their demographic data, clinical data, direct medical costs within the past three years, direct non-medical costs, loss of income due to missed work, and the impact of disease on family financial status.The Wilcoxon rank sum test or the Kruskal-Wallis H rank sum test was used to analyze the impact of various factors on economic burden, such as clinical stage, age, sex, educational level, occupation, type of medical insurance, and family income.The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the difference in family economic pressure caused by different disease types after HBV infection.Results The total costs of primary liver cancer, hepatitis B cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis B within the past three years were 94001 yuan, 63421 yuan, and 39360 yuan, respectively, and direct medical costs accounted for 84.7%, 83.6%, and 89.9%, respectively.The self-paid costs within the past one year accounted for99.6%, 59.4%, and 16.7%, respectively, of the annual family income.There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients with great economic pressure between the three groups (38.7% vs 43.1% vs 11.3%, χ2=30.066, P<0.001) .There were also significant differences in the number of missed working days and loss of income due to missed work (7903 yuan vs 6280 yuan vs 2600 yuan, χ2=68.601, P<0.001) .Conclusion HBV infection-related diseases bring considerable burden to inpatients and their families, and the economic burden increases with a longer course of disease and more serious conditions.With the progression of chronic hepatitis B to hepatitis B cirrhosis and primary liver cancer, diseases impose greater economic pressure on families, and patients themselves and their relatives may suffer from greater loss of income due to missed work.Prevention and control of HBV infection has great social and economic benefits.
DownLoad: