Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the nonhospital costs of treating chickenpox and to ascertain the opinion of parents regarding the usefulness of vaccination. DESIGN: Retrospective postal survey. SETTING: Province of Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of 3333 families with children aged six months to 12 year...

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Main Authors: Philippe De Wals, Manon Blackburn, Maryse Guay, Gina Bravo, Danièle Blanchette, Monique Douville-Fradet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2001-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/361070
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author Philippe De Wals
Manon Blackburn
Maryse Guay
Gina Bravo
Danièle Blanchette
Monique Douville-Fradet
author_facet Philippe De Wals
Manon Blackburn
Maryse Guay
Gina Bravo
Danièle Blanchette
Monique Douville-Fradet
author_sort Philippe De Wals
collection DOAJ
description OBJECTIVE: To estimate the nonhospital costs of treating chickenpox and to ascertain the opinion of parents regarding the usefulness of vaccination. DESIGN: Retrospective postal survey. SETTING: Province of Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of 3333 families with children aged six months to 12 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: For cases of chickenpox that occurred between September 1, 1997 and August 31, 1998, the use of health services, time away from school or work, patient care required, direct and indirect costs for the families and the health care system, and the opinion of parents regarding chickenpox and the vaccine were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate was 64.7%, and 18.8% of households reported a history of chickenpox, a total of 693 cases. A physician was consulted in 45.8% of these cases, and medication was used in 91.7%. The frequency of hospitalizations was 0.6%. Time away from work or school caused by the disease was 4.1 days on average, with 46.5% of absences being attributed to the risk of contagion. The total average cost of a case of chickenpox was $225. Direct expenses for households accounted for 11% of the total cost, public sector direct costs 7%, indirect costs related to absence from work 38% and caregiving time 45%. A majority of parents (70%) were in favour of a systematic childhood immunization program. CONCLUSIONS: Chickenpox without complications is disruptive for families, but the direct costs for families and the public sector are relatively small.
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spelling doaj-art-e0c4767c869e41f991ebd8d63a423fcd2025-08-20T03:25:59ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases1180-23322001-01-01121273210.1155/2001/361070Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in QuebecPhilippe De Wals0Manon Blackburn1Maryse Guay2Gina Bravo3Danièle Blanchette4Monique Douville-Fradet5Département des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaDirection de la santé publique, de la planification et de l’évaluation de la Régie régionale de la santé et des services sociaux de la Montérégie, Longueuil, Québec, CanadaDépartement des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaDépartement des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaFaculté d'Administration de l'Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaMinistère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec, Québec, Québec, CanadaOBJECTIVE: To estimate the nonhospital costs of treating chickenpox and to ascertain the opinion of parents regarding the usefulness of vaccination. DESIGN: Retrospective postal survey. SETTING: Province of Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of 3333 families with children aged six months to 12 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: For cases of chickenpox that occurred between September 1, 1997 and August 31, 1998, the use of health services, time away from school or work, patient care required, direct and indirect costs for the families and the health care system, and the opinion of parents regarding chickenpox and the vaccine were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate was 64.7%, and 18.8% of households reported a history of chickenpox, a total of 693 cases. A physician was consulted in 45.8% of these cases, and medication was used in 91.7%. The frequency of hospitalizations was 0.6%. Time away from work or school caused by the disease was 4.1 days on average, with 46.5% of absences being attributed to the risk of contagion. The total average cost of a case of chickenpox was $225. Direct expenses for households accounted for 11% of the total cost, public sector direct costs 7%, indirect costs related to absence from work 38% and caregiving time 45%. A majority of parents (70%) were in favour of a systematic childhood immunization program. CONCLUSIONS: Chickenpox without complications is disruptive for families, but the direct costs for families and the public sector are relatively small.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/361070
spellingShingle Philippe De Wals
Manon Blackburn
Maryse Guay
Gina Bravo
Danièle Blanchette
Monique Douville-Fradet
Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
title Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
title_full Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
title_fullStr Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
title_full_unstemmed Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
title_short Burden of Chickenpox on Families: A Study in Quebec
title_sort burden of chickenpox on families a study in quebec
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/361070
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