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Abstract
Costs of male osteoporosis may have increased due to population aging and change of treatment patterns. This cost-of-illness study provides a current estimate of the economic burden of male osteoporosis in Germany. Routine claims data from six German sickness funds were analyzed and extrapolated to the German statutory health insurance (SHI). For men above the age of 50 with at least one ICD-10 osteoporosis-related diagnosis or osteoporosis-related fracture in 2010, direct costs related to osteoporosis were considered based on a payer’s perspective. Total direct costs attributable to osteoporosis amounted to €728 million in 2010. The majority of these costs (71%) resulted from inpatient treatment due to fractures. Patients aged 75 and older caused approximately 63% of costs. Male osteoporosis represents a non-negligible economic burden for the German health care system. Targeted prevention and promotion measures should be offered both to men and women.
Financial & competing interest disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Key issues
Of all insured males older than 50 years, 3% were either diagnosed with osteoporosis or experienced at least one osteoporotic fracture, resulting in costs of €728 million.
Compared with previous findings, the costs of in- and outpatient treatment were about 25% lower.
Almost two-thirds of all costs were caused by insured males aged 75 and older. Male osteoporosis represents a non-negligible economic burden for the German health care system and targeted prevention and promotion measures should be offered both to men and women.