The indirect costs of allergic diseases

Abstract

It is estimated that every third person living in Europe suffers from allergic diseases. Allergies are a growing health problem in Poland where 40% of the population have allergy symptoms, including 12% afflicted with asthma. The actual cost of allergic diseases is difficult to estimate due to the lack or incompleteness of the relevant data. The aim of this review is to present estimates of the indirect costs of allergic diseases in Poland and globally, using asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis as examples. The analysis also includes the impact of allergic diseases on the costs to the social welfare system and employers. The literature review of the indirect costs of allergic diseases shows that the indirect costs of a disease, which substantially exceed the direct costs, increase with the disease activity and severity. Interestingly, some studies have found that the indirect costs of lost productivity due to hours missed from work to take care of a sick child could be threefold higher than those of absence due to a worker's own illness. The indirect costs of a disease can be significantly reduced by early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Physicians’ prescribing behaviour and clinical practice patterns for allergic rhinitis management in Italy

“…Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common disease affecting adults worldwide with increasing incidence and prevalence in almost all western countries [ 1 – 5 ]. Though it is not a serious condition, AR is widely accepted as a clinically relevant and disabling disorder accounting for a substantial burden of global morbidity [ 3 , 6 ] and it is associated with considerable economic impact [ 7 – 9 ]. Indeed, patients with AR experience particularly bothersome symptoms which negatively affects their everyday activities and quality of sleep, ultimately leading to reduced quality of life (QoL) [ 3 , 10 – 12 ] and impaired work and school performance [ 9 , 13 ].…”

Physicians’ prescribing behaviour and clinical practice patterns for allergic rhinitis management in Italy

“…Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common disease affecting adults worldwide with increasing incidence and prevalence in almost all western countries (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Though it is not a serious condition, AR is widely accepted as a clinically relevant and disabling disorder accounting for a substantial burden of global morbidity (3,6) and it is associated with considerable economic impact (7)(8)(9). Indeed, patients with AR experience particularly bothersome symptoms which negatively affects their everyday activities and quality of sleep, ultimately leading to reduced quality of life (QoL) (3,(10)(11)(12) and impaired work and school performance (9,13).…”

“…Though it is not a serious condition, AR is widely accepted as a clinically relevant and disabling disorder accounting for a substantial burden of global morbidity (3,6) and it is associated with considerable economic impact (7)(8)(9). Indeed, patients with AR experience particularly bothersome symptoms which negatively affects their everyday activities and quality of sleep, ultimately leading to reduced quality of life (QoL) (3,(10)(11)(12) and impaired work and school performance (9,13). In asthmatics subjects, coexistent AR exacerbates severity of asthma (14,15).…”

Physicians’ Prescribing Behaviour and Clinical Practice Patterns for Allergic Rhinitis Management in Italy

“…Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common diseases affecting adults worldwide with increasing incidence and prevalence in almost all western countries (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Though it is not a serious condition, AR is widely accepted as a clinically relevant and disabling disorder accounting for a substantial burden of global morbidity (3,6) and a considerable economic impact (7)(8)(9). Indeed, patients with AR experience particularly bothersome symptoms which negatively affects everyday activities and quality of sleep, ultimately leading to reduced quality of life (QoL) (3,(10)(11)(12) and to impaired work and school performance (9,13).…”

“…Though it is not a serious condition, AR is widely accepted as a clinically relevant and disabling disorder accounting for a substantial burden of global morbidity (3,6) and a considerable economic impact (7)(8)(9). Indeed, patients with AR experience particularly bothersome symptoms which negatively affects everyday activities and quality of sleep, ultimately leading to reduced quality of life (QoL) (3,(10)(11)(12) and to impaired work and school performance (9,13). In asthmatics subjects, coexistent AR exacerbates severity of asthma (14,15).…”