Medical expenses and its determinants in female patients with urological disorder

• Published in: Cost effectiveness and resource allocation Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 45 - 8
• Main Authors: Park, Sewon, Seokmin, Ji, Lee, Hyunseo, Choi, Hangseok, Choi, Mankyu, Lee, Munjae, Jakovljevic, Mihajlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 24.05.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Ambulatory care; Analysis; Care and treatment; Chronic conditions care; Chronic illnesses; College graduates; Couples; Demographic aspects; Diagnosis; Digital health; Disability; Economic activity; Education; Forecasts and trends; Generalized linear models; Health care expenditures; Health insurance; Hospitals; Independent sample; Life expectancy; Marital status; Medical care, Cost of; Medical expenses; Middle age; Middle schools; Older people; Prevention; Primary care; Secondary schools; Urinary incontinence; Urologic diseases; Urological disorders; Variables; Variance analysis; Womens health; Women’s health; South Korea; Prevention; Digital health; Women’s health; Medical expenses; Chronic conditions care; Urological disorders
• ISSN: 1478-7547; 1478-7547
• DOI: 10.1186/s12962-024-00556-x

The rising older adult population has led to an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and medical expenses. Women tend to have a longer healthy life expectancy than men and are more likely to be exposed to urological disorders around the age of 50, resulting in substantial healthcare expenses throughout their lifetime. Urological disorders often require continuous treatment owing to their high risk of recurrence, contributing to an increased financial burden from medical costs. This study aimed to identify factors influencing medical expense in female patients with urological disorders and propose strategies to alleviate the associated financial burden. We used data from the Korea Health Panel Survey conducted from 2011 to 2016. The final sample comprised 2,932 patients who visited hospitals for urological disorders. To identify the factors influencing medical expense among female patients with urological disorders, we employed a generalized estimating equation model. The results indicated that younger people and patients with middle-income levels tended to incur higher medical expenses. Furthermore, patients receiving treatment at tertiary hospitals and those enrolled in National Health Insurance also incurred higher health expenses. This study suggests that effective management of medical expenses related to urological disorders in women requires improvements in healthcare accessibility to facilitate early detection and continuous disease management. In addition, the findings highlight the potential benefits of digital health and non-face-to-face treatments in addressing these needs.