Cost burden and temporal trends of herpes zoster in China: Evidence from Beijing's health records

Abstract

Objective: Herpes zoster poses a significant health threat to the aging population in China. This study aimed to analyze the cost burden and temporal trends of herpes zoster in China. Methods: This study encompassed herpes zoster outpatients from 15 hospitals between 2016 and 2023 and herpes zoster inpatients from 175 hospitals between 2013 and 2023. We used descriptive analysis and log-linear model to investigate herpes zoster related cost burden and their temporal trends during the selected period. Results: Over the past eight years, outpatient visits increased by about 23.8 % across the selected hospitals, while inpatient discharges increased by approximately 124.8 %. About 23.6 % of the outpatient cases were under 45 years of age. The cost per outpatient visit fluctuated at approximately 57 USD, while the cost per hospitalization increased by over 20 %, reaching around 1931 USD in 2023. Older patients and those with post-herpetic neuralgia experienced higher herpes zoster related healthcare costs and utilization. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that although the average cost per visit or discharge changed little in China, the growing demand for herpes zoster healthcare highlights the necessity of more preventive efforts to reduce the burden on both individuals and the healthcare system.

Keywords

• Herpes zoster
• Disease burden
• Healthcare cost
• Outpatient care
• Hospitalization