At Any Age, It Does Matter:
Substance Abuse and Older Adults (for Professionals)

Supplements

Data Limitations

Where possible and unless otherwise noted, the total number of cases is based on the number of hospitalizations mentioned in the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Costs include only direct hospitalization costs. Cost estimates do not include related physician office visits, outpatient procedures, medication, or out-of-hospital laboratory tests. Therefore, the cost estimates provided may be lower than actual costs.

The cost estimates provided here should be used only to compare estimated treatment costs with prevention costs for program planning purposes. Cost estimates should not be used to determine actual costs of treatment. A health professional (e.g., physician, nurse) or accounting staff person should be consulted regarding actual treatment costs.

In addition, the diagnosis related groups chosen are for treatments in which the specified condition was primary. Cases may be missed in which alcohol and other drugs had secondary effects on health (e.g., primary diagnosis is pneumonia, but the patient also has cirrhosis).

Because the cost estimates are based on an average per diem hospital rate, they are probably low. Research indicates that people with substance abuse problems often require greater intensity of services. One study estimated that substance abusers were likely to spend as much as 50 percent longer in intensive care units than other patients.1 These intensive care unit days cost three to four times more than an average hospital stay.

Finally, for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), it is assumed that each case involved a single physician visit. Because some cases may involve multiple physician visits, costs may be underestimated. In addition, the number of cases includes syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and chancroid. Some conditions, such as herpes and pelvic inflammatory disease, are not included in the data. In addition, sexually transmitted cases of HIV are not included. Therefore, the number of STD cases may be underestimated.

References

  1. Baldwin, W.A.; Brian, A.R.; Breslow, M.J.; et al. Substance abuse-related admissions to adult intensive care. Chest 1993, 103:21-25.
<< Previous Page