Cost impact of COPD in Japan: Opportunities and challenges?

Objective: The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease highlights the importance of COPD from public health, health policy and clinical perspectives. In countries such as the USA, the economic impact of COPD exceeds that of many chronic conditions. There is a paucity of data on the economic burden of COPD in Japan. Methodology: Based upon publicly available information, a prevalence-based approach was used to construct a deterministic model to estimate the total direct and indirect costs of care for COPD in Japan. Data sources included a spirometry-based epidemiological study, the peer-reviewed literature, and governmental and industrial surveys. The most current data that addressed direct and indirect costs of care were utilized. Results: In Japan, the estimated total cost of COPD is Yen805.5 billion (US$6.8 billion) per year; Yen645.1 billion (US$5.5 billion) in direct costs and 160.4 billion (US$1.4 billion) in indirect costs. In direct costs, inpatient care accounted for Yen244.1 billion (US$2.1 billion), outpatient care Yen299.3 billion (US$2.5 billion), and home oxygen therapy Yen101.7 billion (US$0.9 billion). The average annual total cost per patient for moderate/severe COPD is estimated to be Yen435 876 (US$3694); Yen349 080 (US$2958) per COPD patient in direct costs and Yen86 797 (US$795) in indirect costs. Conclusion: COPD imposes a high economic burden on the Japanese healthcare system. Health policy makers should direct urgent attention to increasing prevention, early diagnosis, and appropriate treatment of COPD.