ArticleThe European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care2023
Does uptake of specialty care affect HRQoL development in COPD patients beneficially? A difference-in-difference analysis linking claims and survey data.
Article in The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
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Abstract
backgroundThere is an evidence gap on whether the choice of specialty care beneficially affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study analyzes how newly initiated pulmonologist care affects the generic and disease-specific HRQoL in COPD patients over a period of 1 year.
methodsWe linked claims data with data from two survey waves to investigate the longitudinal effect of specialty care on HRQoL using linear Difference-in-Difference models based on 1:3 propensity score matched data. Generic HRQoL was operationalized by EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale (VAS), and disease-specific HRQoL by COPD assessment test (CAT). Subgroup analyses examined COPD patients with low (GOLD AB) and high (GOLD CD) exacerbation risk.
resultsIn contrast to routine care patients, pulmonologists' patients (n = 442) experienced no significant deterioration in HRQoL (VAS - 0.0, p = 0.9870; CAT + 0.5, p = 0.0804). Models unveiled a small comparative advantage of specialty care on HRQoL (mean change: CAT - 0.8, VAS + 2.9), which was especially pronounced for GOLD AB (CAT - 0.7; VAS + 3.1).
conclusionThe uptake of pulmonologist care had a statistically significant, but not clinically relevant, beneficial impact on the development of HRQoL by slowing down overall HRQoL deterioration within 1 year. Including specialty care more appropriately in COPD management, especially at lower disease stages (GOLD AB), could thus improve patients' health outcome.
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