Purpose: To analyze the direct medical costs associated with epilepsy in the US using a cost-of-illness analysis that incorporates both a patient-based approach and a population-based approach. Methods: Patient-based or ‘bottom-up’ analysis relied on information provided by a panel of experienced epilepsy clinicians to determine the number and type of medical resources used by individuals with epilepsy. Population-based or ‘top-down’ analysis relied on cost estimates from a nationally representative sample in the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey. Results: The average annual cost per individual in the patient-based analysis was $1,490. The average annual cost per individual in the population-based analysis was $1,510 with average yearly costs per adult of $1,480 and $1,740 per child. New cases of epilepsy are associated with costs of $362 million for the first year of treatment; existing cases of epilepsy are estimated to cost the US nearly $2 billion. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate incident cases are more than twice as expensive as prevalent cases, and the need to properly care for epilepsy patients is increasingly important in today’s health care environment, where the emphasis is on providing effective treatments while simultaneously lowering the costs.

Keywords:
Epilepsy, Cost analysis, Cost of illness, Questionnaires, Physician’s practice patterns, Incidence, Prevalence
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel
2000
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.