Cost and health-related quality of life for children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus in Central China

Background

The economic burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are not well-understood in China. This study assessed total cost and HRQoL for children hospitalized with RSV in Central China.

Methods

Based on a prospective case series study in Henan Province in 2020–2021, inpatients aged 0–59 months with RSV-related acute respiratory infections (ARIs) were included into analysis. Total cost included direct medical cost (sum of medical cost before and during hospitalization), direct non-medical cost, and indirect cost. Direct medical cost during hospitalization data were extracted from the hospital information system. Other costs and HRQoL status were obtained from a telephone survey conducted in the caregivers of the enrolled patients.

Results

Among 261 RSV-infected inpatients, caregivers of 170 non-severe cases (65.1%, 170/261) were successfully interviewed. Direct medical cost per episode was 1055.3 US dollars (US$) (95% CI: 998.2–1112.5 US$). Direct non-medical cost and indirect cost per episode were 83.6 US$ (95% CI: 77.5–89.7 US$) and 162.4 US$ (95% CI: 127.9–197.0 US$), respectively. Quality adjusted life years (QALY) loss for non-severe RSV hospitalization was 8.9 × 10⁻³ (95% CI: 7.9 × 10⁻³–9.9 × 10⁻³). The majority of inpatients were <1 year of age comprising significantly higher cost and more QALY loss than older children.

Conclusions

RSV-associated hospitalization poses high economic and health burden in Central China particularly for children <1 year old. Our findings are crucial for determining the priority of interventions and allocation of health resources.