Cost of low back pain in Switzerland in 2005

Simon Wieser, Bruno Horisberger, Sara Schmidhauser, Claudia Eisenring, Urs Brügger, Andreas Ruckstuhl, Jürg Dietrich, Anne F Mannion, Achim Elfering, Ozgür Tamcan, Urs Müller, Simon Wieser, Bruno Horisberger, Sara Schmidhauser, Claudia Eisenring, Urs Brügger, Andreas Ruckstuhl, Jürg Dietrich, Anne F Mannion, Achim Elfering, Ozgür Tamcan, Urs Müller

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent health problem in Switzerland and a leading cause of reduced work performance and disability. This study estimated the total cost of LBP in Switzerland in 2005 from a societal perspective using a bottom-up prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach. The study considers more cost categories than are typically investigated and includes the costs associated with a multitude of LBP sufferers who are not under medical care. The findings are based on a questionnaire completed by a sample of 2,507 German-speaking respondents, of whom 1,253 suffered from LBP in the last 4 weeks; 346 of them were receiving medical treatment for their LBP. Direct costs of LBP were estimated at <euro>2.6 billion and direct medical costs at 6.1% of the total healthcare expenditure in Switzerland. Productivity losses were estimated at <euro>4.1 billion with the human capital approach and <euro>2.2 billion with the friction cost approach. Presenteeism was the single most prominent cost category. The total economic burden of LBP to Swiss society was between 1.6 and 2.3% of GDP.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentage of LBP sufferers using specified health care resources. Total area of circles corresponds to 100% of 1,253 individuals with LBP in last 4 weeks. a With and without use of pain medication; b in last 4 weeks; c in last 12 months
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of costs according to human capital approach
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Percentage of LBP sufferers with costs by level of pain and type of cost (economically active LBP sufferers of working age). Level of pain on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 6 (unbearable pain). A total of 801 economically active individuals in working age. HC according to human capital approach
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Average cost in last 4 weeks by level of pain and type of cost (economically active LBP sufferers of working age). Level of pain on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 6 (unbearable pain). A total of 801 economically active individuals in working age. HC according to human capital approach
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Sensitivity analysis of costs of LBP in Switzerland

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