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. 2014 Jun;11(3):283-92.
doi: 10.1111/j.1742-481X.2012.01089.x. Epub 2012 Oct 1.

Cost-of-illness of leg ulcers in the community

Matthias Augustin  1 , Leyla K Brocatti, Stephan J Rustenbach, Ines Schäfer, Katharina Herberger
Affiliations

Cost-of-illness of leg ulcers in the community

Matthias Augustin et al. Int Wound J. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Leg ulcer management is complex, time-consuming and of high socio-economic importance. Data on cost-of-illness in leg ulcer care are sparse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-of-illness in leg ulcer treatment in the metropolitan area of Hamburg. About 147 institutions involved in wound care participated in a cross-sectional study. Patients consecutively recruited underwent a standardised interview and clinical examination. Main economic outcomes were direct, indirect and intangible costs from a societal perspective. Five hundred and two patients with a mean age of 71 years and mean wound duration of 9 years were enrolled. Annual total costs summed up to a mean of 9060€ /patient/year (8288€ direct, 772€ indirect costs). Direct costs carried by statutory health insurances amounted to 7680€ , patients themselves paid on average 607€. Leg ulcer is associated with high costs for health insurances, patients and the society. Exploratory predictor analyses suggest that early, interprofessional disease-management could lower treatment costs.

Keywords: Chronic wounds; Cost-of-illness; Health care wounds; Leg ulcers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of annual costs of leg ulcer patients undertaken by statutory health insurances, n = 502.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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