POTENTIAL HEALTH ECONOMIC-BENEFITS OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTATION

This study used published relative risk estimates for birth defects, p remature birth, and coronary heart disease associated with vitamin int ake to project potential annual cost reductions in U.S. hospitalizatio n charges. Epidemiological and intervention studies with relative risk estimates were identified via MEDLINE. Preventable fraction estimates were derived from data on the percentage of at-risk Americans with da ily vitamin intake levels lower than those associated with disease ris k reduction, Hospitalization rates were obtained from the 1992 Nationa l Hospital Discharge Survey. Charge data from the 1993 California Hosp ital Discharge Survey were adjusted to 1995 national charges using the medical component of the Consumer Price index. Based on published ris k reductions, annual hospital charges for birth defects, tow-birth-wei ght premature births, and coronary heart disease could be reduced by a bout 40, 60, and 38%, respectively, For the conditions studied, nearly $20 billion in hospital charges were potentially avoidable with daily use of folic acid and zinc-containing multivitamins by all women of c hildbearing age and daily vitamin E supplementation by those over 50.