Few studies provide an indication of the total economic impact of all forms of respiratory disease.

The authors of an article in the European Respiratory Journal (ERJ), Prof. Edward Yelin of the University of California San Francisco and colleagues, used new data collected by the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey, a U.S. Government body, to provide estimates of the economic impact of all forms of respiratory disease in the U.S. in 1997.

They found that there were about 12.1 million people (4.5% of the population) with one or more respiratory conditions in that year, of whom more than 80% also had other chronic diseases.

The overall cost of medical care for these 12.1 million people averaged $3,753 per person, with 45% of this figure due to hospital admissions, 18% due to physician visits and 17% due to prescription medications.

In the nation as a whole, all medical care expenditures for respiratory diseases totaled $45.5 billion.

The authors also provide a series of estimates of what portion of the $45.5 billion was specifically attributable to the respiratory conditions rather than to the other conditions that persons with respiratory conditions have.

They report that between $1,003 and $2,588 of the total expenditures of $3,753 per person was attributable to the respiratory conditions, depending on various assumptions. This translates to a total economic impact specifically due to the respiratory conditions of $12.1 to $31.3 billion.

To put this estimate in perspective, $45.5 billion amounts to the equivalent of 0.6% of the Gross Domestic Product in the U.S. for 1997.

Since a recession is defined as two of more quarters in which the economy declines by one percent or more, respiratory conditions can be seen to have a severe economic impact on a perpetual basis.


[Contact: Prof. Edward Yelin]

05-Mar-2002