dc.contributor.author
Ostermann, Julia K.
dc.contributor.author
Reinhold, Thomas
dc.contributor.author
Witt, Claudia M.
dc.date.accessioned
2018-06-08T03:57:32Z
dc.date.available
2015-09-03T05:36:15.013Z
dc.identifier.uri
https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/16292
dc.identifier.uri
http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/refubium-20475
dc.description.abstract
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.
de
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.ddc
600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften::610 Medizin und Gesundheit
dc.title
Can Additional Homeopathic Treatment Save Costs?
dc.type
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
dcterms.bibliographicCitation
PLoS ONE. - 10 (2015), 7, Artikel Nr. e0134657
dc.title.subtitle
A Retrospective Cost-Analysis Based on 44500 Insured Persons
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.doi
10.1371/journal.pone.0134657
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.url
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0134657
refubium.affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
de
refubium.mycore.fudocsId
FUDOCS_document_000000023046
refubium.note.author
Der Artikel wurde in einer Open-Access-Zeitschrift publiziert.
refubium.resourceType.isindependentpub
no
refubium.mycore.derivateId
FUDOCS_derivate_000000005358
dcterms.accessRights.openaire
open access