The health care utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure associated with asthma amongst a sample of Australian women aged over 45 years: analysis from the ‘45 and up’ study

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to describe the prevalence of health care utilization (including conventional medicine, self-care and complementary medicine treatments) for the management of asthma by women aged 45 years and over and their associated out-of-pocket expenditure.

Methods

A self-reported mail survey of 375 Australian women, a cohort of the national 45 and Up Study, reporting a clinical diagnosis of asthma. The women were asked about their use of health care resources including conventional medicine, complementary medicine, and self-prescribed treatments for asthma and their associated out-of-pocket spending. Spearman’s correlation coefficient, student’s t-test and chi-square test were used as appropriate. Population level costs were created by extrapolating the costs reported by participants by available national prevalence data.

Results

Survey respondents (N = 375; response rate, 46.9%) were, on average, 67.0 years old (min 53, max 91). The majority (69.1%; n = 259) consulted at least one health care practitioner in the previous 12 months for their asthma. Most of the participants (n = 247; 65.9%) reported using at least one prescription medication for asthma in the previous 12 months. The total out-of-pocket expenditure on asthma treatment for Australian women aged 50 years and over is estimated to be AU$159 million per annum.

Conclusions

The breadth of conventional and complementary medicine health care services reported in this study, as well as the range of treatments that patients self-prescribe, highlights the challenges of coordinating care for individuals living with asthma.

Keywords:

• Economic analysis
• health services
• self-care
• complementary medicine
• allied health

Acknowledgements

This research was completed using data collected through the 45 and Up Study (www.saxinstitute.org.au). The 45 and Up Study is managed by the Sax Institute in collaboration with major partner Cancer Council NSW; and partners: the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NSW Division); NSW Ministry of Health; NSW Government Family & Community Services - Ageing, Carers and the Disability Council NSW; and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. We thank the many thousands of people participating in the 45 and Up Study.

Declaration of interests

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

We extend our sincere thanks to the Australian Research Council (DP140100238) for funding the sub-study of women with asthma upon which this research paper is based on and for funding Distinguished Professor Jon Adams via an ARC Professorial Future Fellowship (FT140100195) while working on this manuscript. The funding body had no input, direct or indirect, on this research including the preparation of this manuscript.