Impact of HIV Lipodystrophy on Healthcare Costs
Author Information
Author(s): Jeannie S. Huang, Karen Becerra, Susan Fernandez, Daniel Lee, WC Mathews
Primary Institution: University of California, San Diego
Hypothesis
HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy will demonstrate increased utilization of healthcare services with an associated increase in healthcare expenditures compared to those without lipodystrophy.
Conclusion
Patients with HIV-associated lipodystrophy demonstrate increased healthcare utilization and costs compared to those without lipodystrophy.
Supporting Evidence
- 92 out of 181 participants had clinical evidence of lipodystrophy.
- Healthcare utilization was significantly greater among patients with lipodystrophy.
- Patients with lipodystrophy spent $1,718 more on healthcare than those without.
Takeaway
People with HIV who have body changes called lipodystrophy go to the doctor more often and spend more money on healthcare than those who don't have these changes.
Methodology
Healthcare utilization and costs were collected from accounting records for HIV-infected patients, with lipodystrophy assessed by physical examination and body image surveys.
Potential Biases
Participants may have self-selected due to increased anxiety regarding body image.
Limitations
The study was limited to one medical entity and only assessed lipodystrophy at a single time point.
Participant Demographics
Participants were HIV-infected individuals, with 51% showing clinical evidence of lipodystrophy.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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