Impact of depressive symptoms on direct medical cost among medicare recipients with knee osteoarthritis
Authors' conclusion
While over one quarter of Medicare beneficiaries with KOA self-reported depressive symptoms, only 6% received billable medical services. The presence of depressive symptoms led to higher direct medical costs, even among those who did not receive depression-related billable services.
Study context
- Population
- Community-dwelling Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey respondents with knee OA identified by ICD-9/10 codes in Part A and Part B claims, 2003–2019
- Participants
- 4,118 respondents
- Exposure
- Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with vs without self-reported depressive symptoms
- Outcome
- Annual total direct medical costs
Methodological detailsgeneralized linear model with log-transformed outcomes, adjusted for age, gender, race, history of fall, Total Joint Replacement, comorbidities and calendar year
- Generalized linear model with log-transformed outcomes
- Adjusted for age, gender, race, history of fall, Total Joint Replacement, comorbidities and calendar year
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Adjusted mean direct medical costs
Without depressive symptoms
$8598
mean · /year
Depressive symptoms, no billable services
$9239
mean · /year
Depressive symptoms and billable services
$14,229
mean · /year
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms and of depression-related billable services
- Self-reported depressive symptoms
- 27%
- Depressive symptoms and depression-related billable services
- 6%
Original publication
Impact of depressive symptoms on direct medical cost among medicare recipients with knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Published 6 May 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →