The Additional Medical Expenditure Caused by Depressive Symptoms among Middle-Aged and Elderly Patients with Chronic Lung Diseases in China

Sihui Jin, Yun Wu, Shengliang Chen, Dongbao Zhao, Jianwei Guo, Lijin Chen and Yixiang Huang
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Sihui Jin: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Yun Wu: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Shengliang Chen: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Dongbao Zhao: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Jianwei Guo: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Lijin Chen: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China
Yixiang Huang: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510030, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-11

Abstract: Depression is one of the most common comorbidities in patients with chronic lung diseases (CLDs). Depressive symptoms have an obvious influence on the health function, treatment, and management of CLD patients. In order to investigate the additional medical expenditure caused by depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly patients with CLDs in China, and to estimate urban–rural differences in additional medical expenditure, our study used data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) investigation. A total of 1834 middle-aged and elderly CLD patients were included in this study. A generalized linear regression model was used to analyze the additional medical expenditure on depressive symptoms in CLD patients. The results show that depressive symptoms were associated with an increase in medical costs in patients with CLDs. Nevertheless, the incremental medical costs differed between urban and rural patients. In urban and rural patients with more severe comorbid CLD and depressive symptoms (co-MCDs), the total additional medical costs reached 4704.00 Chinese Yuan (CNY) (USD 711.60) and CNY 2140.20 (USD 323.80), respectively. Likewise, for patients with lower severity co-MCDs, the total additional medical costs of urban patients were higher than those of rural patients (CNY 4908.10 vs. CNY 1169.90) (USD 742.50 vs. USD 176.90). Depressive symptoms were associated with increased medical utilization and expenditure among CLD patients, which varies between urban and rural areas. This study highlights the importance of mental health care for patients with CLDs.

Keywords: chronic lung diseases; depressive symptoms; economic burden; Chinese middle-aged and elderly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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