Suliman Alghnam1, Mohamed Alkelya2, Mahdya Aldahnim3, Nawfal Aljerian4, Ibrahim Albabtain5, Alaa Alsayari6, Omar B Da'ar7, Khalid Alsheikh8, Ali Alghamdi9. 1. Population Health Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSUHS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Ghnams@ngha.med.sa. 2. The Center for Health Research Studies (CHRS), Saudi Health Council, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: m.alkelya@shc.gov.sa. 3. Respiratory Care Department, Specialized Medical Center Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 4. Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 5. Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: albabtainib@NGHA.MED.SA. 6. The Center for Health Research Studies (CHRS), Saudi Health Council, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: a.alsayyari@shc.gov.sa. 7. College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: daaro@ksau-hs.edu.sa. 8. Department of Orthopedics, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Khalid.alsheikh@gmail.com. 9. National Center for Road Safety, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: aalgamdi@nrsc.gov.sa.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are the second leading cause of death in Saudi Arabia. Their economic burden is significant but poorly quantified, as limited literature exists locally. We aim to estimate the impact of RTIs on healthcare costs. METHODS: We included all patients from the hospital's trauma registry for the year 2017 (n = 381). Due to the availability of data, the analysis focused only on direct medical costs incurred during the hospitalization period. We computed the components of hospitalization costs and evaluated the association between patient and RTI characteristics and total hospitalization costs (the average and median) using quantile and log-linear regression techniques respectively. RESULTS: Patients were relatively young with an average age of 31 years (SD ± 14.6). Overall, patients treated for RTIs cost the hospital around 77,657 Saudi Riyal (SAR) on average. Pedestrian injuries incurred the highest costs. Motor vehicle injuries accounted for the highest procedure-related costs (SAR 19,537). The quantile regressions results suggest that Glasgow coma scale (GCS), admission to intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital length of stay were significantly associated with an increase in hospitalization cost. Hospital home disposition was however, associated with a decrease in cost. One additional day of stay in the hospital increases total hospitalization cost by SAR 3,508. Additionally, the log-linear showed injury severity score (ISS < 16) was associated with a 20% decrease in the geometric mean of the hospitalization costs (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study underlines the economic burden of RTIs in addition to their impact on population health. The findings may be used to inform policymakers, researchers, and the public about the increasing burden of traffic crashes in the Kingdom. Public health interventions are warranted to reduce the severity and frequency of RTIs in order to improve traffic safety and reduce associated healthcare costs.
BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are the second leading cause of death in Saudi Arabia. Their economic burden is significant but poorly quantified, as limited literature exists locally. We aim to estimate the impact of RTIs on healthcare costs. METHODS: We included all patients from the hospital's trauma registry for the year 2017 (n = 381). Due to the availability of data, the analysis focused only on direct medical costs incurred during the hospitalization period. We computed the components of hospitalization costs and evaluated the association between patient and RTI characteristics and total hospitalization costs (the average and median) using quantile and log-linear regression techniques respectively. RESULTS:Patients were relatively young with an average age of 31 years (SD ± 14.6). Overall, patients treated for RTIs cost the hospital around 77,657 Saudi Riyal (SAR) on average. Pedestrian injuries incurred the highest costs. Motor vehicle injuries accounted for the highest procedure-related costs (SAR 19,537). The quantile regressions results suggest that Glasgow coma scale (GCS), admission to intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital length of stay were significantly associated with an increase in hospitalization cost. Hospital home disposition was however, associated with a decrease in cost. One additional day of stay in the hospital increases total hospitalization cost by SAR 3,508. Additionally, the log-linear showed injury severity score (ISS < 16) was associated with a 20% decrease in the geometric mean of the hospitalization costs (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study underlines the economic burden of RTIs in addition to their impact on population health. The findings may be used to inform policymakers, researchers, and the public about the increasing burden of traffic crashes in the Kingdom. Public health interventions are warranted to reduce the severity and frequency of RTIs in order to improve traffic safety and reduce associated healthcare costs.
Authors: Suliman Alghnam; Meshal M Alqahtani; Hosam A Alzahrani; Abdulfattah S Alqahtani; Ibrahim T Albabtain; Khalid A Alsheikh; Mohamed K Alatwi; Mohamed A Alkelya Journal: J Family Community Med Date: 2022-01-19
Authors: Yousef M Alsofayan; Suliman A Alghnam; Saeed M Alshahrani; Roaa M Hajjam; Badran A AlJardan; Fahad S Alhajjaj; Jalal M Alowais Journal: J Taibah Univ Med Sci Date: 2022-06-29