183357 Inpatient Admissions for Infection in Cancer Patients: Impact of an Aging Population

Wednesday, October 29, 2008: 1:05 PM

Catherine D. Cooksley, DrPH , Section of Health Services Research Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Elenir, B. C. Avritscher, MD, MBA/MHA , Section of Health Services Research, Division of Quantitative Sciences, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Linda S. Elting, DrPH , Department of Biostatistics Section of Health Services Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Background: Cancer patients are particularly susceptible to infections. As cancer prevalence increases due to an aging U.S. population (a 73% increase is expected by 2025), so will the population at risk for infections.

Methods: From the 2001 Texas inpatient discharge data, we identified all cancer patients' hospitalizations which had pneumonia, bacteremia or wound infection as the admitting or principal diagnosis. We used 2003 Surveillance Epidemiology End Results (SEER) age-specific cancer prevalence estimates and 2006 and 2025 US census population projections to estimate future healthcare system burden (costs from the provider perspective and total hospital bed days utilized) due to these infections. We inflated charges to 2006 US$ using Consumer Price Index for Medical Care and derived costs using 2006 Texas Medicare cost-to-charge ratios.

Results: Over 18,000 Texas inpatients discharged in 2001 had a cancer diagnosis and a potentially preventable infection. Nationally, an estimated total of 318,164 cancer patients were hospitalized for infection in 2006 at a cost of $3.1 billion (B) (95% CI $2.8B, $3.4B) and utilizing a total of 2.3 million bed days. Assuming no change but the aging of the population, projected costs by 2025 could increase 45% to $4.5B (95% CI $4.1B, $4.9) with 27% more (3.4 million) hospital bed-days utilized.

Conclusions: Implementing measures aimed at preventing serious infections in the vulnerable cancer population may reduce healthcare system burdens as the population ages and cancer prevalence rises.

Learning Objectives:
•Present estimated future cancer prevalence. •Present estimated incidence of inpatient admissions for infection among patients with cancer. •Project future incidence and economic burden of hospitalization for infection among patients with cancer. •Describe resource utilization and costs associated with such hospitalizations for infection. •Examine impact of the aging U.S. population on future hospital admissions for infection in patients with cancer.

Keywords: Cancer, Infectious Diseases

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked with health services research related topic analysis for 7 years, cancer registries for an additional 8 years and other public health and health related fields for an additional 15 years. I have a Doctorate in Public Health in the epidemiology and disease control disciplines.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Cancer Epidemiology II
See more of: Epidemiology