The Economic Burden of Stroke Based on South Korea’s National Health Insurance Claims Database

Background This study was conducted to determine the scale and the nature of the economic burden caused by strokes and to use the results as an evidential source for determining the allocation of South Korea stroke cases in ۲۰۱۵.   Methods For research subjects, the study analyzed demographic characteristics and economic burden based on data from national health insurance (NHI) claims for inpatient and outpatient cases of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke in ۲۰۱۵ through the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) and statistical data regarding cause of death from the Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO). This study, in order to estimate economic burden due to stroke, deduced the direct and indirect costs of illness caused by stroke, using cost-of-illness (COI) methods. The economic burden is divided into direct and indirect costs, and indirect cost is estimated by summing lost productivity measured in opportunity cost lost by medical disposition due to a specific disease and lost productivity due to premature death.     Results The total economic burden in Korea due to stroke was US۶.۸۵۵ billion, that due to ischemic stroke was US۳.۶۵۸ billion, and that due to hemorrhagic stroke was US۳.۱۹۷ billion. The average economic burden per stroke case was about US۷۲۴۷.   Conclusion The results of estimating the annual economic burden in all of Korea due to stroke will be used as an evidential source for preparing medical insurance policies, priorities, and plans for arranging medical resources for stroke as well as for determining effective prevention of the disease and related priorities in national health care policies.

Keywords:

Cost of Illness , National Health Insurance , Economic Burden , South Korea , Stroke