Abstract:

Objective To analyse the medical cost of patients with mental disorders under government assistance in Zhejiang Province. Methods Three hundred and thirty-one patients with mental disorders under government assistance were selected from Huzhou Mental Health Center(n=123) and Shaoxing Mental Health Centers (n=208) between 2006 to 2009, and another 331 patients with mental disorders without government assistance were also selected from Huzhou Mental Health Center (n=123) and Shaoxing Mental Health Centers (n=208) between 2006 to 2009. The categories of mental disorders and physical conditions of patients with mental disorders under government assistance were analysed, and daily medical cost was compared between patients with mental disorders under government assistance and those with mental disorders without government assistance. Results The main categories of mental disorders in patients with mental disorders under government assistance in Huzhou and Shaoxing were schizophrenia (67.4%), mental retardation and dementia (16.3%), and mental disorders due to use of alcohol (9.1%). Meanwhile, 38.9% of patients with mental disorders under government assistance suffered from physical diseases such as digestive tract diseases (24.5%) and respiratory tract infection (16.9%). Daily medical cost of patients with mental disorders under government assistance was significantly lower than that of patients with mental disorders without government assistance in Shaoxing (P<0.05), and the same condition was found in Huzhou (P<0.01). Daily medical cost of patients with mental disorders under government assistance complicated with physical diseases was significantly higher than that of patients with mental disorders under government assistance without physical diseases (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in daily medical cost between patients in Huzhou and those in Shaoxing (P>0.05). Conclusion Medical cost of patients with mental disorders under government assistance is much lower than that of patients with mental disorders without government assistance, but it is still relatively higher. Medical cost may be lowered with sufficient government assistance to those needed by reducing hospitalization duration, establishing basic system of medication and treatment, and conducting regular free drug administration and follow up.

Key words: patients with mental disorders under government assistance, medical cost, mental disorder, Zhejiang Province