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The economic impact of chronic pain: a nationwide population-based cost-of-illness study in Portugal

Author

Listed:
  • Luís Azevedo
  • Altamiro Costa-Pereira
  • Liliane Mendonça
  • Cláudia Dias
  • José Castro-Lopes

Abstract

In addition to its high frequency and relevant individual and social impact, chronic pain (CP) has been shown to be a major contributor to increased healthcare utilisation, reduced labour productivity, and consequently large direct and indirect costs. In the context of a larger nationwide study, we aimed to assess the total annual direct and indirect costs associated with CP in Portugal. A population-based study was conducted in a representative sample of the Portuguese adult population. The 5,094 participants were selected using random digit dialling and contacted by computer-assisted telephone interviews. Questionnaires included the brief pain inventory and pain disability index. Estimates were adequately weighted for the population. From all CP subjects identified, a subsample (n = 562) accepted to participate in this economic study. Mean total annualised costs per CP subject of €1,883.30 were observed, amounting to €4,611.69 million nationally, with 42.7 % direct and 57.3 % indirect costs, and corresponding to 2.71 % of the Portuguese annual GDP in 2010. Only socio-demographic variables were significantly and independently associated with CP costs, and not CP severity, raising the possibility of existing inequalities in the distribution of healthcare in Portugal. The high economic impact of CP in Portugal was comprehensively demonstrated. Given the high indirect costs observed, restricting healthcare services is not a rational response to these high societal costs; instead improving the quality of CP prevention and management is recommended. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Luís Azevedo & Altamiro Costa-Pereira & Liliane Mendonça & Cláudia Dias & José Castro-Lopes, 2016. "The economic impact of chronic pain: a nationwide population-based cost-of-illness study in Portugal," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 17(1), pages 87-98, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujhec:v:17:y:2016:i:1:p:87-98
    DOI: 10.1007/s10198-014-0659-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Christian Kronborg & Gitte Handberg & Flemming Axelsen, 2009. "Health care costs, work productivity and activity impairment in non-malignant chronic pain patients," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 10(1), pages 5-13, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guido Migliaccio, 2019. "Disabled People in the Stakeholder Theory: a Literature Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(4), pages 1657-1678, December.
    2. Joana Fernandes Ribeiro & Sofia Baptista & Marta Pinto & Ana Mendes & Hugo Almeida & Andreia Teixeira & Carlos Martins, 2022. "Portuguese Family Physicians’ Perceptions on Pain Management—A Qualitative Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-7, November.
    3. Susanne Mayer & Jonah Spickschen & K Viktoria Stein & Richard Crevenna & Thomas E Dorner & Judit Simon, 2019. "The societal costs of chronic pain and its determinants: The case of Austria," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Ng, Wee Qin & Hartanto, Andree, 2022. "The effect of executive function on the development of chronic pain: A prospective longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Chronic pain; Costs; Productivity; Cost of illness; Economic impact; I10; I14; I18;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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