A simple, group-level educational outreach intervention, designed to take account of identified barriers to change, can have a modest but sustained effect on prescribing levels. However, outreach is not always effective. The context in which change in prescribing practice is being sought, the views of prescribers concerning the value of the drug, or other unrecognised barriers to change may influence the effectiveness of outreach.

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PurposeCOPD has been associated with a high number of comorbidities and a relatively high level of health care resource utilization. This study aimed to estimate the social economic impact of COPD in the autonomous community of Extremadura (Spain) in 2015.Patients and methodsThis is a retrospective observational study carried out using a representative sample of patients diagnosed with COPD in Extremadura. Sociodemographic data, data on health care resource utilization, formal and informal care received by the patients, and loss of labor productivity in the last 12 months were collected through an electronic data collection platform. Direct health care costs were estimated using the bottom-up approach, costs of informal care were assessed using the substitution method, and labor productivity losses were calculated using the human capital method.ResultsA sample of 386 patients was obtained (mean age: 71.8±10.3 years, males: 76.2%). The results show an average annual cost per patient of 3,077 euros. Direct health care costs represented 43.8% (1,645 euros), direct non-health care costs amounted to 38.3% (1,440 euros), and labor productivity losses represented 17.9% (672 euros) of the average annual cost. The total annual cost of patients with COPD in Extremadura reached 36.2 million euros in 2015.ConclusionCOPD poses a significant burden for the health care system and the society of Extremadura. The implementation of preventive and control measures could result in a substantial reduction in the economic impact.

Severe obesity significantly increases healthcare resource utilisation in Spain. The results shed light on the real magnitude of the burden of obesity in Spain.

Esta guía ha contado con el patrocinio no condicionante de Sanofi España.