The issues of healthcare-associated infections — the economic and social perspective

The aim of the paper was to diagnose and analyse the rates of infections in Polish voivodships, and possible consequences from both economic and social perspectives of the changes in the levels of cases reported. For the analyses, data banks of Central Statistical Office in Warsaw were used, in particular, information on the incidence of infectious diseases and poisonings. The rates of changes and spatial concentration of the phenomena were investigated in the period between 2005 and 2015. For estimates of regional trends, the Shift-Share Analysis was adopted, and the pattern of spatial distribution was defined on the basis of location quotients. Extreme values of location quotients were observed in Warmińsko-Mazurskie for shigellosis, in Lubuskie for trichinellosis, and for AIDS in Dolnośląskie. Location quotient values allowed identifying regions with a higher spatial concentration of infectious diseases incidences, which in turn could indicate areas and cases where preventive actions should be improved or modified. The Shift-Share Analysis resulted in pointing out regions that recorded a positive change in infection rates. The obtained results also demonstrated that in some cases, the impact of structural changes influences the net rates of infections more than the local components. The obtained results directly indicated objects (regions) where attention should be paid to prevention. Especially, the results of spatial distribution and concentration allowed a reliable analysis of the state of population incidence rates, as well as answered questions concerning the origin of rates whether the change derived from structural, local or overall tendencies. Results could be adopted, for instance, in preventive strategies of local governments. The estimates might be beneficial from the perspective of the healthcare system, due to easier predictive scenarios of future infection and possible centres with the increase in incidence

The direct and indirect costs associated with food hypersensitivity in household: A study in the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain

Recent studies show that food hypersensitivity, such as food allergy or food intolerance, has the potential to affect direct, indirect and intangible economic costs experienced by individuals and their families. This research assesses the direct and indirect economic costs of food hypersensitivity at the household level in the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain

Health sector costs of self-reported food allergy in Europe: A patient-based cost of illness study

Introduction: Food allergy is a recognized health problem, but little has been reported on its cost for health services. The EuroPrevall project was a European study investigating the patterns, prevalence and socio-economic cost of food allergy. Aims: To investigate the health service cost for food-allergic Europeans and the relationship between severity and cost of illness. Methods: Participants recruited through EuroPrevall studies in a case-control study in four countries, and cases only in five countries, completed a validated economics questionnaire. Individuals with possible food allergy were identified by clinical history, and those with food-specific immunoglobulin E were defined as having probable allergy. Data on resource use were used to estimate total health care costs of illness. Mean costs were compared in the case-control cohorts. Regression analysis was conducted on cases from all 9 countries to assess impact of country, severity and age group. Results: Food-allergic individuals had higher health care costs than controls. The mean annual cost of health care was international dollars (I$)2016 for food-allergic adults and I$1089 for controls, a difference of I$927 (95$324-I$1530). A similar result was found for adults in each country, and for children, and was not sensitive to baseline demographic differences. Cost was significantly related to severity of illness in cases in nine countries. Conclusions: Food allergy is associated with higher health care costs. Severity of allergic symptoms is a key explanatory factor. © 2013 The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved