臺灣地區代謝症候群相關疾病改善之經濟效益

EVALUATING THE BENEFITSOF AMELIORATING METABOLIC-SYNDROME-RELATED DISEASES IN TAIWAN

本文應用旅行成本法的概念及迴歸模型估計臺閩地區代謝症候群相關疾病罹病者的醫療照護需求函數， 並藉由觀察罹病者醫療照護需求及消費者剩餘的變化， 探討改善罹病者的健康指標時所能產生的經濟效益。實證結果顯示， 若能分別改善臺閩地區代謝症候群相關疾病罹病者的血壓值、膽固醇值及身體質量指數狀況至臨界值的水準， 亦即消除高血壓、高膽固醇及過重之風險因子， 則可減少個人醫療成本約為11.34 億元、2.69 億元及4.97 億元；可減少總醫療成本約為33.41 億元、7.94 億元及14.64 億元； 亦可獲得健康指標改善之經濟效益約為124.54 億元、29.83 億元及54.89 億元。

This paper uses the travel cost method and regression model to evaluate the benefits of ameliorating metabolic-syndrome-related diseases in Taiwan. Data from the “Ditmanson Medical Foundation Cha-Yi Christian Hospital” and National Health Insurance (NHI) are used for the empirical analysis. The results showthat ifwe can ameliorate risk factors such as hypertension, cholesterol and overweight among metabolic-syndrome-related diseases sufferers so that the risk levels are no higher than level found in the general population, the benefits of ameliorating disease are that the cost ofmedical service can be reduced NT$ 3.341,$0.794 and$1.464 billion, then add economic benefits NT$12.454,$2.983 and $5.489 billion respectively in Taiwan.