Economic evaluation of the societal costs of hepatitis B in South Korea

Background and Aims: Hepatitis B (HBV) infection remains a major public hea lth problem in South Korea, and accounts for considerable morbidity and mor tality. At present, very little is known about the cost of HBV to the South Korean health-care system and society. The present study was therefore con ducted to estimate the total annual cost of HBV infection in South Korea fo r a given year (1997). Methods: The study was conducted from the South Korean societal perspective , taking into account the direct and indirect costs of HBV vaccination prog rams (prevention costs), and those related to the treatment of acute and ch ronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer (disease costs). Several assump tions were made in arriving to actual cost estimates. Results: The total societal cost of HBV in 1997 was 1078.3 billion Won ($US 959.7 million), 142.3 billion Won or 13.2% being attributable to preventio n costs and 225.4 billion Won or 20.9% being attributable to indirect costs of HBV-related diseases. The total cost (direct plus indirect) associated with HBV-related diseases to the South Korean society was 936.1 billion Won ($US 833.1 million), of which 45.3% was attributable to cirrhosis-related costs. In terms of disease-related direct costs alone (710.5 billion Won or $US 632.3 million), the estimated annual spending per patient was 1.37 mil lion Won ($US 1219). The direct costs of the HBV disease (prevention and di sease treatment, amounting to 782.2 billion Won or $US 696.2 million) is eq uivalent to 3.2% of the national health-care expenditure for 1997. Conclusions: This study confirms that HBV is a significant cost burden to t he South Korean society, and in the absence of an effective cure reinforces the importance of continued disease prevention via vaccination. (C) 2001 B lackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.