Healthcare utilization and economic burden of myopia in urban China: A nationwide cost-of-illness study

Abstract

Background China contributes to a significant proportion of the myopia in the world. The study aims to investigate the utilization of various correction methods and health service in urban China, and to estimate the cost of myopia treatment and prevention. In addition, we aimed to estimate the cost of productivity loss due to myopia. Methods The study was a cross-sectional investigation carried out in urban areas in three provinces located in the east (Shanghai), middle (Anhui) and west part (Yunnan) of China, in 2016. A total of 23819 people aged between 5 to 50 years were included. Health utilization and the cost of myopia were analyzed from patients’ perspective. Results The total number of people with myopia in the urban China was estimated to be 143.6 million. The correction rate was 89.5%, 92.1%, and 92.7% for Anhui, Shanghai, and Yunnan (χ 2 = 19.5, P < 0.01). Over the recent year, 20.6%, 16.8%, and 28.8% of myopic subjects visited hospital due to myopia, in Anhui, Shanghai and Yunnan. The annual cost of treatment and prevention of myopia was 10.1 billion US dollar (US$, floating from 9.2 to 11.2 billion US$), and the cost per person was 69US$. The annual cost of loss of productivity was estimated to be 6.7 billion US$ for those with mild to moderate visual impairment (floating from 6.1 to 7.4 billion US$), and 9.4 billion US$ (floating from 8.5 to 10.4 billion US$) for those with severe visual impairment to blindness. Therefore, the total economic burden of myopia was estimated as 173.6 billion CNY (26.3 billion US$). Conclusions The present study shows that myopia leads to substantial economic burden in China. The loss of productivity caused by myopia is an important part of the disease burden compared to the cost of correction and treatment paid by individuals. Therefore, the focus of myopia prevention and control should be to decrease the myopia prevalence, and prevent the uncorrected refractive errors and the irreversible damage of visual acuity by high myopia.

Comparison of the accuracy of axial length measurement by different imaging methods in Sprague Dawley rats

“…Moreover, high myopia (HM) often causes myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV), complicated glaucoma, cataract, macular hole (MH), and other blinding complications (Wu et al, 2016), which result in a heavy economic burden to families and society. Statistically, the annual productivity loss as a result of myopia in China is as high as US $26.3 billion (Ma et al, 2022), whereas the global productivity loss caused by myopia alone was as high as US $244 billion in 2015 (Naidoo et al, 2019). These values will increase as the prevalence of myopia increases in the population.…”

Implementing interventions to promote spectacle wearing among children with refractive errors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Moreover, the reasons for non-compliance may include poor literacy, misconceptions, and lack of eye health knowledge among parents (29). Because economic considerations are important in low-and middle-income countries, the provision of low-cost or free spectacles can improve access (30).…”

SNTB1 and ZFHX1B Gene Polymorphisms in Northern Chinese Han Population with High Myopia

“…The past study predicated that the number of high myopia people will star from 163 million people that is the 2.7% of the world population in 2000 to 938 million people that is 9.8% of the world population in 2050 (Holden et al, 2016a). Among Asian populations, myopia is especially higher prevalent (7-21%) than other populations (He et al, 2009;Sawada et al, 2008;Wong et al, 2000;Wong and Saw, 2016).It caused a great deal of direct and indirect burden in economy worldwide, notably in East Asia (Ma et al, 2022;Modjtahedi et al, 2021;Modjtahedi et al, 2018;Naidoo et al, 2019). The previous study reported the potential productivity loss relevanted for vision impairment and uncorrected myopia was US$244 billion and was US$6 billion globally in 2015 (Naidoo et al, 2019).…”