Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41066123›Full record

ArticleJAMA network open2025

Health Care Costs Associated With Norovirus at the Veterans Health Administration.

Jordan E Cates, Richard E Nelson, Ying Suo, Umesh D Parashar, Cynthia A Lucero-Obusan, Mark Holodniy, Sara A Mirza

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JAMA network open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jordan E CatesDivision of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Richard E NelsonInformatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ying SuoDivision of Epidemiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
Umesh D ParasharDivision of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Cynthia A Lucero-ObusanPublic Health National Program Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC.
Mark HolodniyPublic Health National Program Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC.
Sara A MirzaDivision of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Importance: Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among all ages in the US. Older adults, including veterans, are a potential target group for future vaccination and therapeutics, and more data are needed on the economic burden of norovirus among this population. Objective: To quantify the outpatient, emergency department (ED), and inpatient health care costs associated with laboratory-confirmed norovirus episodes among veterans seeking care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Design, Setting, and Participants: This economic evaluation used VHA electronic health record and health care cost data between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2024, with costs adjusted to 2024 dollars. Participants were veterans (aged ≥18 years) with norovirus who sought care from VHA clinics and hospitals nationwide. Norovirus episodes were categorized as outpatient, ED, or inpatient. Exposure: Norovirus episodes laboratory-confirmed by polymerase chain reaction assays. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outpatient, ED, and inpatient costs for encounters or admissions within 2 days of the norovirus-positive test result. Costs were extrapolated to the expected number of annual norovirus episodes with and without laboratory confirmation in the VHA using published incidence rates. Results: A total of 7768 norovirus episodes from 7520 patients (median [IQR] age, 62 [45-74] years; 6862 males [88%]; median [IQR] Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI], 1 [0-4]) were included in the analysis. There were 3520 outpatient, 2018 ED, and 2230 inpatient norovirus episodes, with respective median (IQR) costs of $640 ($207-$1291), $2203 ($1596-$2989), and $14 083 ($8045-$26 672). Median (IQR) inpatient costs were higher among older age groups ($12 777 [$7297-$23 737], $16 075 [$9291-$29 311], and $18 566 [$10 676-$33 582] for those aged 45-64 years, 65-84 years, and ≥85 years, respectively) than younger adults ($7751 [$4768-$14 984] and $9394 [$5474-$15 830] for those aged 18-24 years and 25-44 years, respectively; P < .001). Median (IQR) inpatient costs were also higher across CCI categories, with the highest for CCI of 5 or higher ($18 508 [$10 445-$35 900]). The overall extrapolated annual cost to the VHA was $28 438 556. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found norovirus to be a substantial economic burden in the VHA. Developing targeted interventions, such as vaccines and antivirals, for this population may result in cost savings.

Indexed as

Caliciviridae InfectionsGastroenteritisHealth Care CostsNorovirusVeteransAdultAgedEmergency Service, HospitalFemaleHospitalizationHumansMaleMiddle AgedUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs

Identifiers

PMID41066123
PMCPMC12511989

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.