Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The objective of this study was to estimate the economic costs over the first 2 years of life of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease occurring in infants less than 90 days of age. A cost analysis was conducted using a prospective cohort of children born between 2000 and 2003 in the Greater London, Oxford, Portsmouth and Bristol areas of England. Unit costs were applied to estimates of the health and social resource use made by 138 infants diagnosed with GBS disease and 305 non-GBS controls matched for birth weight and hospital stay and time of birth. The health and social care costs for infants exposed to GBS disease were analysed in a multiple linear regression model. The mean health and social care cost over the first 2 years of life was estimated at £11,968.9 for infants with GBS, compared to £6,260.7 for the non-GBS controls; a mean cost difference of £5,708.1 (bootstrap 95% CI £2,977.1, £8,391.2, P = 0.03). After adjusting for gestational age and other potential confounders in a multiple linear regression, mean societal costs was £6,144.7 higher among GBS cases than among non-GBS controls (P < 0.001). This study shows that the health and social care costs for infants with GBS disease is, on average, two-fold higher during the first 2 years of life than for infants without GBS disease. These data should be used to inform policy decisions regarding the cost-effectiveness of prevention and treatment strategies for GBS disease during early childhood. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s10198-008-0131-4

Type

Journal article

Journal

European Journal of Health Economics

Publication Date

01/01/2009

Volume

10

Pages

275 - 285