Open Access(642) The Impact of Depression on Health Resource Utilization for Chronic Nonmalignant Pain Patients
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
pain medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1526-4637
pISSN - 1526-2375
DOI - 10.1046/j.1526-4637.2000.000024-41.x
Subject(s) - medicine , depression (economics) , chronic pain , physical therapy , intensive care medicine , economics , macroeconomics
Authors: Samir H Mody, Janssen Pharmaceutica; Anita Y Hsu, Janssen Research Foundation; Sheri L Dodd, Janssen Pharmaceutica; Jana Mossey, Drexel University School of Public Health; Rollin M. Gallagher, MCP Hahnemann University Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of depression in a chronic nonmalignant pain (CNMP) population. Methods: The 1995–1997 MarketScan claims database was used to identify a chronic pain cohort for analysis. This database includes private‐pay‐fee‐for‐service claims for outpatient, inpatient, and medication utilization for individuals in the United States. The annual medical database was composed of information derived from the benefit plans of over 200 large employers. Patients were labeled as having CNMP if they had 2 or more prescriptions for a long‐acting opioid in any given 1‐year period. Depression was categorized by identifying patients in the CNMP cohort with an ICD‐9‐CM diagnosis for depression. Resource utilization was measured using outpatient, impatient, and prescription costs. Results: For the 1997 data, there were 805 patients in the CNMP cohort. Using ICD diagnoses categorization (n=159 for diagnoses for depression, n=646 no diagnosis of depression), demographics between the groups were similar, with the nondepression group represented by a higher percentage of males (46% versus 35%). Average inpatient ($19,303 versus $11,419), outpatient ($12,665 versus $1,738), prescription ($6,486 versus $4,548), and total ($38,454 versus $23,705) costs were all higher for the CNMP‐diagnosed depression group. Similar values were also derived from the 1995 (n=154) and 1996 (n=323) cohorts; total charges were higher for the group with the diagnosis of depression as compared to the nondepression group ($34,509 versus $20,164 for 1996; $42,668 versus $29,640 for 1995). Hospital days and outpatient visits will be assessed and characterized. Conclusion: It was noteworthy that the results demonstrated that an ICD‐9‐CM diagnosis of depression was a significant factor in overall health care utilization, while having a claim for an antidepressant was not a predictive factor for higher costs.