The Health Economics of the spinal cord injury or disease among veterans of war: A systematic review

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2017 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2017.1368267 · Published: November 1, 2017

Simple Explanation

This review looks at the costs of healthcare for veterans with spinal cord injuries or diseases (SCI/D). Understanding these costs is important for managing resources and improving care. The review found that caring for SCI/D veterans is expensive, costing between $30,770 to $62,563 per year in 2016 USD. These costs are generally higher than for other chronic diseases. Factors like the location and severity of the injury, as well as complications like pressure ulcers, significantly increase these healthcare costs.

Study Duration

1946 to September 2016

Participants

SCI/D veterans (number varies per included study)

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
Health care costs for the management of SCI/D veterans are substantial ($30,770 to $62,563 in 2016 USD per year).
2
The most significant determinants of the higher total health-care costs are cervical level injury, complete injury, time period (i.e. first year post-injury and end-of-life year), and presence of pressure ulcers.
3
The proportion of inpatient care costs varied from 50.6% to 80.4% of the overall health care costs.

Research Summary

This systematic review synthesized and evaluated data from publications on the economic burden of care for veterans with SCI/D. The health care costs of the management of veterans with SCI/D are substantial and, in general, lower than the costs of caring for civilians with SCI, but greater than the costs of caring for patients with other more common chronic diseases. Higher total healthcare costs are anticipated among individuals with cervical level injury, complete injury, and pressures sores.

Practical Implications

Resource Allocation

Understanding cost drivers can help in allocating resources effectively to manage SCI/D among veterans.

Policy Development

The findings support the development of policies that address specific needs and cost-drivers associated with SCI/D in veterans.

Intervention Strategies

The review highlights the need for cost-effective interventions, such as telehealth, to manage complications like pressure ulcers.

Study Limitations

1
Most data derived from retrospective cohort studies, vulnerable to potential bias.
2
All publications used data from the VA Health Care Systems in the United States collected from fiscal years 1998 to 2010, limiting generalizability.
3
The composition of the costs may vary from publication to publication or site to site (e.g. charges versus costs).

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury