407 research outputs found
A Retrospective Cost-Analysis Based on 44500 Insured Persons
Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the health care costs for
patients using additional homeopathic treatment (homeopathy group) with the
costs for those receiving usual care (control group). Methods Cost data
provided by a large German statutory health insurance company were
retrospectively analysed from the societal perspective (primary outcome) and
from the statutory health insurance perspective. Patients in both groups were
matched using a propensity score matching procedure based on socio-demographic
variables as well as costs, number of hospital stays and sick leave days in
the previous 12 months. Total cumulative costs over 18 months were compared
between the groups with an analysis of covariance (adjusted for baseline
costs) across diagnoses and for six specific diagnoses (depression, migraine,
allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and headache). Results Data from
44,550 patients (67.3% females) were available for analysis. From the societal
perspective, total costs after 18 months were higher in the homeopathy group
(adj. mean: EUR 7,207.72 [95% CI 7,001.14–7,414.29]) than in the control group
(EUR 5,857.56 [5,650.98–6,064.13]; p<0.0001) with the largest differences
between groups for productivity loss (homeopathy EUR 3,698.00
[3,586.48–3,809.53] vs. control EUR 3,092.84 [2,981.31–3,204.37]) and
outpatient care costs (homeopathy EUR 1,088.25 [1,073.90–1,102.59] vs. control
EUR 867.87 [853.52–882.21]). Group differences decreased over time. For all
diagnoses, costs were higher in the homeopathy group than in the control
group, although this difference was not always statistically significant.
Conclusion Compared with usual care, additional homeopathic treatment was
associated with significantly higher costs. These analyses did not confirm
previously observed cost savings resulting from the use of homeopathy in the
health care system
Long-term economic outcomes
Objectives: This study aimed to provide a long-term cost comparison of
patients using additional homeopathic treatment (homeopathy group) with
patients using usual care (control group) over an observation period of 33
months. Methods: Health claims data from a large statutory health insurance
company were analysed from both the societal perspective (primary outcome) and
from the statutory health insurance perspective (secondary outcome). To
compare costs between patient groups, homeopathy and control patients were
matched in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores. Predictor variables for the
propensity scores included health care costs and both medical and demographic
variables. Health care costs were analysed using an analysis of covariance,
adjusted for baseline costs, between groups both across diagnoses and for
specific diagnoses over a period of 33 months. Specific diagnoses included
depression, migraine, allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and
headache. Results: Data from 21,939 patients in the homeopathy group (67.4%
females) and 21,861 patients in the control group (67.2% females) were
analysed. Health care costs over the 33 months were 12,414 EUR [95% CI
12,022–12,805] in the homeopathy group and 10,428 EUR [95% CI 10,036–10,820]
in the control group (p<0.0001). The largest cost differences were attributed
to productivity losses (homeopathy: EUR 6,289 [6,118–6,460]; control: EUR
5,498 [5,326–5,670], p<0.0001) and outpatient costs (homeopathy: EUR 1,794
[1,770–1,818]; control: EUR 1,438 [1,414–1,462], p<0.0001). Although the costs
of the two groups converged over time, cost differences remained over the full
33 months. For all diagnoses, homeopathy patients generated higher costs than
control patients. Conclusion: The analysis showed that even when following-up
over 33 months, there were still cost differences between groups, with higher
costs in the homeopathy group
Associations between comorbidities, their treatment and survival in patients with interstitial lung diseases – a claims data analysis
Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are associated with a high burden of disease. However, data on the prognostic impact of comorbidities and comorbidity-related pharmaceutical treatments in patients with various ILDs remain sparse.
Methods: Using longitudinal claims data from a German Statutory Health Insurance Fund, we assessed comorbidity in ILD subtypes and associated drug treatments. Baseline comorbidity was assessed via the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index that was amended by ILD-relevant conditions. Drug treatment was assessed on the substance level using the ATC-codes of drugs prescribed at the time of ILD diagnosis. Subsequently, the comorbid conditions (main analysis) and pharmaceutical substances (secondary analysis) with a meaningful association to survival were identified for the complete ILD cohort and within the subtype strata. For this, we applied multivariate Cox models using a LASSO selection process and visualized the findings within comorbidomes.
Results: In the 36,821 patients with ILDs, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arterial hypertension, and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) were the most prevalent comorbidities. The majority of patients with cardiovascular diseases received pharmaceutical treatment, while, in other relevant comorbidities, treatment quotas were low (COPD 46%, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease 65%). Comorbidities had a clinically meaningful detrimental effect on survival that tended to be more pronounced in the case of untreated conditions (e.g. hazard ratios for treated IHD 0.97 vs. 1.33 for untreated IHD). Moreover, comorbidity impact varied substantially between distinct subtypes.
Conclusions: Our analyses suggest that comorbid conditions and their treatment profile significantly affect mortality in various ILDs. Therefore, comprehensive comorbidity assessment and management remains important in any ILD
Mechanochemical Synthesis of Fluorine-Containing Co-Doped Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks for Producing Electrocatalysts
Catalysts derived from pyrolysis of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates to replace expensive and scarce platinum-based electrocatalysts commonly used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. MOFs contain ordered connections between metal centers and organic ligands. They can be pyrolyzed into metal- and nitrogen-doped carbons, which show electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Furthermore, metal-free heteroatom-doped carbons, such as N-F-Cs, are known for being active as well. Thus, a carbon material with Co-N-F doping could possibly be even more promising as ORR electrocatalyst. Herein, we report the mechanochemical synthesis of two polymorphs of a zeolitic imidazole framework, Co-doped zinc 2-trifluoromethyl-1H-imidazolate (Zn0.9Co0.1(CF3-Im)2). Time-resolved in situ X-ray diffraction studies of the mechanochemical formation revealed a direct conversion of starting materials to the products. Both polymorphs of Zn0.9Co0.1(CF3-Im)2 were pyrolyzed, yielding Co-N-F containing carbons, which are active toward electrochemical ORR.Peer Reviewe
Relations between institutional environment and level of social disclosure in the banking sector: evidence from Latin America
The companies seek to legitimize their activities in corporate social responsibility through the dissemination of sustainability reports. The present study aims to verify the existence of relations between the institutional environment and the social disclosure of the Latin American banks listed in Forbes Global 2000, between 2015 and 2017. For this purpose, we analyzed 26 social indicators of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to characterize social disclosure. The institutional environment was characterized by six indicators of the World Economic Forum. In order to relate the dependent variable to the independent variables, four hypotheses were formulated, which were tested using statistical techniques. Evidence obtained in the research indicates that there is a positive relationship between the institutional environment and social disclosure. The results show that the higher the firm's profitability and its age, the higher the level of disclosure. We conclude that the results of the research corroborate previous findings
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