Treatment costs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Germany

verfasst von

Sebastian Braun, Jan Zeidler, Roland Linder, Susanne Engel, Frank Verheyen, Wolfgang Greiner

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioural disorders among children and adolescents. The number of patients as well as prescriptions to treat this disease has continuously increased over the past few years. The aim of the present study was to analyse the costs for treating ADHD patients from the perspective of a major German health insurance fund. Methodology: Anonymised administrative claims data were available for the study. All services reimbursed by the health fund for the selected ADHD patients were recorded. Apart from the resource use attributed directly to ADHD, co-morbidities as well as incremental costs were described based on a control group design. Results: A total of 30,264 ADHD patients were diagnosed in 2008. The total costs for these patients were €3,888, and the incremental costs were €2,902. The largest proportions of incremental costs were due to therapeutic devices and remedies like occupational therapy amounting to €1,270. Proportionate costs of €263 have been settled for pharmacotherapy with Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine. However, 41 % of the patients were not treated with ADHD-related pharmaceuticals. Conclusions: ADHD costs are relevant from health insurance perspective. The expenses for occupational therapy constitute the cost driver. Compared to the findings of studies from the United States and contrarily to the backdrop of public discussions about considerably increased prescriptions of ADHD-specific drugs, the significantly higher additional expenses for occupational therapy services are impressing. This kind of therapy is internationally rather unknown and is therefore not acknowledged as a therapeutic standard.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Center for Health Economics Research Hannover (CHERH)

Externe Organisation(en)

Xcenda GmbH
Universität Bielefeld
Wissenschaftliches Institut der TK für Nutzen und Effizienz im Gesundheitswesen (WINEG)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

European Journal of Health Economics

Band

14

Seiten

939-945

Anzahl der Seiten

7

ISSN

1618-7598

Publikationsdatum

12.2013

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Volkswirtschaftslehre, Ökonometrie und Finanzen (sonstige), Health policy

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-012-0440-5 (Zugang: Geschlossen)
http://10.1007/s10198-016-0771-8 (Zugang: Offen)