A comparison of analytic models for the costs of the hospitalized diabetic patients

english

2005

volume 2, issue 1

Statistical methods 

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za družbene vede
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

OBJECTIVE: To compare some survival models as applied to the estimation of the costs of hospitalization as a function of several covariates in diabetic patients. The application of the Aalen regression model (Aalen, 1989) to medical costs is stressed. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study analyzing hospitalizations in a cohort of diabetic patients with a follow up of 4.5 years. STUDY POPULATION: A total of 2550 patients have been included in the cohort, according to clinical-based enrollment standards. The patients with at least one hospitalization have been considered in this analysis. METHODS: Costs have been modelled using five different regression model: the ordinary least square regression model, the logistic regression model using the median and the third quartile of the costs distribution as cut-off points,the parametric survival model assuming Weibull distribution, the Cox proportional hazard model and the Aalen additive regression model. CONCLUSIONS: The Aalen additive regression model applied to the costs has the best performances in estimating the mean hospitalization costs for specific clinical profiles.

16.09.2009