J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2006 Jul;45(4):324-329.

Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation of Long-term Treatment with Typical and Atypical Antipsychotics for Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia

• Park JI
• Kim D
• Koh HJ
• Hong JP

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
We aimed to compare clinical outcomes, work status and total costs of care associated with typical and atypical treatment in patients with schizophrenia.
METHODS
Cost data for services and prescription use were retrieved retrospectively for 40 and 27 patients with schizophrenia who were initiated on typical or atypical antipsychotics after registration in 1994 and 2000, respectively. Each patient was followed for 3 year after initiation of therapy. Direct and indirect cost were calculated for both groups and analyzed by SAS 8.2.
RESULTS
There was not significant difference in clinical outcomes between two groups except the number of admission was higher in typical antipsychotics group (p<0.05). As for direct cost, patients prescribed on atypical antipsychotics have paid almost two-fold more than typical groups. However, the proportion of unemployment was higher in typical group than in atypical group, leading to much loss of productivity. Therefore, considered offset by lower indirect costs, total costs per patients over the study were 19% higher in typical treatment group than in aytpical treatment group.
CONCLUSIONS
Atypical antipsychotics were estimated to be of advantage over typical antipsychotics, by offsetting the big difference of medication cost between two classes.

Keyword

Schizophrenia; Direct cost; Indirect cost

MeSH Terms

Antipsychotic Agents*
Efficiency
Humans
Prescriptions
Retrospective Studies
Schizophrenia*
Unemployment
Antipsychotic Agents