216029 Effect and healthcare cost reduction of clean-indoor air laws

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Jennifer W. Kahende, PhD , National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion / Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Jeanette Renaud, PhD , Health Promotion Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
Judy Kruger, PhD , Office on Smoking and Health, CDC, Atlanta, GA
Paul D. Mowery, MA , Biostatistics, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Objective: To assess the impact of smoke-free air (SFA) laws established between 1998-2003 on healthcare utilization and cost of coronary heart disease (CHD)

Methods: Information about SFA laws was obtained from the Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights (ANR) Foundation, and healthcare cost data from MarketScan. To examine the effect of SFA laws, three categories were created: total ban, partial ban, and no ban. Healthcare utilization and cost (previous two years) for CHD were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of ban on healthcare utilization for CHD, controlling for age and sex. Cost reduction estimates were also obtained.

Results: There was an increase in the number of total and qualified bans over the 5-years assessed. Between 1998 and 2003, cost reductions on healthcare utilization among those with CHD was found to be significant (p<0.01) among respondents living in counties with SFA laws compared to those living in a county without an SFA law (OR=0.74; 95%CI =0.61-0.89). The average inpatient cost reduction per person attributable to existing SFA for CHD in 1998 was $48.32, and in 2003 was $46.36; average drug cost reductions were $12.23 and $10.33 per person, respectively. Total average cost reductions per county for CHD (inpatient, outpatient, drugs) were approximately $3.7 and $3.0 million respectively.

Conclusions: Cost reductions attributable to implementation of SFA laws were found among adults living with CHD and were effective in patients seeking inpatient and drugs services. State and local governments are encouraged to develop SFA laws to protect the public's health.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1.To describe the impact of SFA laws on healthcare utilization for a smoking-related condition. 2.To assess utilization and cost of healthcare for a smoking-related condition.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I am the lead researcher on this project.
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.

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