Lifetime direct costs of stroke for indigenous patients adjusted for comorbidities

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the lifetime health costs of stroke by comorbidity and indigenous status in Australia's Northern Territory (NT), where a large indigenous population resides. Methods: Incidence-based cohort study using linked hospital, primary care, and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data to estimate lifetime direct costs for hemorrhagic stroke (HS), ischemic stroke (IS) and undetermined stroke (UND). Inverse probability-weighted survival analysis was adapted to adjust for loss to follow-up. Log-linear modeling was used to analyze the net stroke costs and marginal comorbidity costs by indigenous status. Results: Between 1992 and 2013, there were 3,733 patients admitted with stroke in t..