Abstract:

Objective   To investigate the economic burden of asthma in Jinan, and to analyze its influencing factors. Methods   Data of 152 asthma patients chosen from 13419 residents  through randomized cluster sampling in the asthma epidemiologic survey in Jinan, Shandong Province in 2009 were analyzed. The economic burdens of asthma in both the urban and the rural area of Jinan were assessed through the direct method and human capital method. The Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed to investigate the related factors of expenses of asthma treatment. Results   The prevalence of asthma was 1.1% in Jinan. The economic burden of diseases was 290 million yuan, including 253 million yuan for the direct economic burden and 37 million yuan for the indirect economic burden. The average burden per capita was 4378 yuan. Complication with allergic rhinitis or other cardio-pulmonary diseases, hospitalization for asthma, smoking index and overuse of antibiotics were the main impact factors on the asthma burden in Jinan. Conclusion   The economic burden of bronchial asthma for patients in Jinan is heavy. Smoking and overuse of antibiotics were the main but controllable factors for the increased economic burden. Tobacco control, implementation of standard asthma treatment and avoiding overuse of antibiotics can effectively eradicate medical resources waste and decrease the economic burden of asthma.

Key words: Bronchial asthma; Economic burden; Impact factors