The Burden of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Disease on the Health System

Aim: To analyze the cost of patients hospitalized in secondary and tertiary hospitals due to the diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) and to draw attention to the cost of COPD and the reasons that increase the cost in our country.
Method: This research was carried out to chest diseases clinic in second and third level hospitals affiliated to the ministry of health, between 1 January 2018-31 December 2018. Demographic features, smoking, duration of hospitalization, length of hospitalization in intensive care, antibiotics used, number of outpatient apply, total hospitalization cost, total costs and duration of antibiotics used were recorded. Costs were stated in Turkish Lira and converted into dollars. Cost data of patients with more than one hospitalization were entered separately.
Results: The numbers of men and women were equal in both 2rd level and 3rd level patients. Looking at patients with COPD in both the secondary and tertiary, total hospital cost in patients was significantly higher than those who did not. When the length and number of hospitalization increased, the total cost of the hospital increased significantly. Significant differences were not found between age groups, gender, smoking status, comorbidities, antibiotic use, number of outpatient clinic admissions, and the number of hospitalizations in the last two years in terms of total hospital cost.
Conclusion: The elimination and prevention of the both of internal and external factors that cause the disease, especially without the need for medication, is of great importance in terms of both financial and labor loss prevention and reduction.