Researchers from University of California Describe Findings in Heart Disease (The healthcare costs of secondhand smoke exposure in rural China)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at China Weekly News -- New research on Heart Disorders and Diseases is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating from San Francisco, California, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "The goal of this study was to assess the healthcare costs attributable to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among non-smoking adults (age ? 19) in rural China. We analysed data from the 2011 National Rural Household Survey which was conducted among adults in five provinces and one municipality in China (N=12,397)."

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of California, "Respondents reported their smoking status, health conditions and healthcare expenditures. Relative risks were obtained from published sources. Healthcare costs included annual outpatient and inpatient hospitalisation expenditures for five SHS-related diseases: asthma, breast cancer (female only), heart disease, lung cancer and tuberculosis. SHS-attributable healthcare costs were estimated using a prevalence-based annual cost approach. The total healthcare costs of SHS exposure in rural China amounted to $1.2 billion in 2011, including $559 million for outpatient visits and $612.4 million for inpatient hospitalisations. The healthcare costs for women and men were $877.1 million and $294.3 million, respectively. Heart disease was the most costly condition for both women ($701.7 million) and men ($180.6 million). The total healthcare costs of SHS exposure in rural China accounted to 0.3% of China's national healthcare expenditures in 2011. Over one-fifth of the total healthcare costs of SHS exposure in rural China were paid by health insurance. The out-of-pocket expenditures per person accounted for almost half (47%) of their daily income. The adverse health effects of SHS exposure result in a large economic burden in China."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Tobacco control policies that reduce SHS exposure could have an impact on reducing healthcare costs in China."

For more information on this research see: The healthcare costs of secondhand smoke exposure in rural China. Tobacco Control, 2015;24(e3):e221-6. (BMJ Publishing Group - group.bmj.com/; Tobacco Control - tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting T. Yao, Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, California USA. Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States. Additional authors for this research include H.Y. Sung, Z. Mao, T.W. Hu and W. Max.

Keywords for this news article include: Asia, China, Smoking, California, San Francisco, United States, Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Diseases, North and Central America, Heart Disorders and Diseases.

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