Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance,
Stockholm School of Economics

No 512: Costs and quality of life associated with osteoporosis related fractures - Results from a Swedish survey

Niklas Zethraeus (), Fredrik Borgström (), Olof Johnell, John Kanis, Karin Önnby and Bengt Jönsson ()
Additional contact information
Niklas Zethraeus: Dept. of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Postal: Stockholm School of Economics, P.O. Box 6501, SE-113 83 Stockholm, Sweden
Fredrik Borgström: Stockholm Health Economics AB, Postal: Klarabergsgatan 33, SE-111 21 Stockholm, Sweden
Olof Johnell: Department of Orthopaedics, Malmö General Hospital, Postal: 205 02 Malmö , Sweden
John Kanis: Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases (WHO Collaborating Centre), Postal: University of Sheffield Medical School, UK., Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
Karin Önnby: Department of Orthopaedics, Malmö General Hospital, Postal: 205 02 Malmö , Sweden
Bengt Jönsson: Dept. of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Postal: Stockholm School of Economics, P.O. Box 6501, SE-113 83 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: There are few studies investigating the consequences of osteoporotic (low bone density) fractures in terms of costs and health outcomes. The purpose of this Swedish pilot study is to assess the costs and quality of life related to fractures of the hip, spine, wrist and shoulder and further to identify important cost items that should be included in future studies in this area. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered by a nurse at Malmö University Hospital. The costs are collected based on a societal perspective and include both direct and indirect costs. Health effects were measured by the EuroQol questionnaire, rating scale method and the SF-36. The total costs varied between SEK 23 000 for a wrist fracture and SEK 63 000 for a hip fracture. Although that the response rate is low the cost and quality of life related to hip fracture are close to the results presented in other studies. The major new finding is that spine fractures are associated with higher costs and lower quality of life than previously assumed. Future studies must include a sufficient number of patients in order to obtain reliable cost and health effect estimates after osteoporotic fractures in general and after spine fractures in particular. Such studies will provide important inputs for health economic evaluations assessing the cost-effectiveness of the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.

Keywords: costs; fracture; osteoporosis; quality of life

JEL-codes: D61; I10; I12

18 pages, October 8, 2002

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