TY - JOUR

T1 - Treatment costs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Germany

AU - Braun, Sebastian

AU - Zeidler, Jan

AU - Linder, Roland

AU - Engel, Susanne

AU - Verheyen, Frank

AU - Greiner, Wolfgang

PY - 2013/12

Y1 - 2013/12

N2 - Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioural disorders among children and adolescents. The number of patients as well as prescriptions to treat this disease has continuously increased over the past few years. The aim of the present study was to analyse the costs for treating ADHD patients from the perspective of a major German health insurance fund. Methodology: Anonymised administrative claims data were available for the study. All services reimbursed by the health fund for the selected ADHD patients were recorded. Apart from the resource use attributed directly to ADHD, co-morbidities as well as incremental costs were described based on a control group design. Results: A total of 30,264 ADHD patients were diagnosed in 2008. The total costs for these patients were €3,888, and the incremental costs were €2,902. The largest proportions of incremental costs were due to therapeutic devices and remedies like occupational therapy amounting to €1,270. Proportionate costs of €263 have been settled for pharmacotherapy with Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine. However, 41 % of the patients were not treated with ADHD-related pharmaceuticals. Conclusions: ADHD costs are relevant from health insurance perspective. The expenses for occupational therapy constitute the cost driver. Compared to the findings of studies from the United States and contrarily to the backdrop of public discussions about considerably increased prescriptions of ADHD-specific drugs, the significantly higher additional expenses for occupational therapy services are impressing. This kind of therapy is internationally rather unknown and is therefore not acknowledged as a therapeutic standard.

AB - Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioural disorders among children and adolescents. The number of patients as well as prescriptions to treat this disease has continuously increased over the past few years. The aim of the present study was to analyse the costs for treating ADHD patients from the perspective of a major German health insurance fund. Methodology: Anonymised administrative claims data were available for the study. All services reimbursed by the health fund for the selected ADHD patients were recorded. Apart from the resource use attributed directly to ADHD, co-morbidities as well as incremental costs were described based on a control group design. Results: A total of 30,264 ADHD patients were diagnosed in 2008. The total costs for these patients were €3,888, and the incremental costs were €2,902. The largest proportions of incremental costs were due to therapeutic devices and remedies like occupational therapy amounting to €1,270. Proportionate costs of €263 have been settled for pharmacotherapy with Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine. However, 41 % of the patients were not treated with ADHD-related pharmaceuticals. Conclusions: ADHD costs are relevant from health insurance perspective. The expenses for occupational therapy constitute the cost driver. Compared to the findings of studies from the United States and contrarily to the backdrop of public discussions about considerably increased prescriptions of ADHD-specific drugs, the significantly higher additional expenses for occupational therapy services are impressing. This kind of therapy is internationally rather unknown and is therefore not acknowledged as a therapeutic standard.

KW - ADHD

KW - Claims data

KW - Costs

KW - Germany

KW - Social health insurance fund

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888434695&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10198-012-0440-5

DO - 10.1007/s10198-012-0440-5

M3 - Article

C2 - 23179162

AN - SCOPUS:84888434695

VL - 14

SP - 939

EP - 945

JO - European Journal of Health Economics

JF - European Journal of Health Economics

SN - 1618-7598

IS - 6

ER -