Influence factors of hospitalization expenses among viral hepatitis patiens in Guangdong province

Objective To analyze the component of hospitalization expense and its influencing factors among viral hepatitis patients in Guangdong and to provide the reference for the control of medical cost. Methods Medical records of 431 viral hepatitis patients hospitalized from April to July,2010 were collected and analyzed with descriptive method and multiple stepwise regression analyses. Results The average hospitalization cost per person for the patients was 17 045.77 RMB yuan,with highest cost of 20 452.35 yuan for hepatitis A.The cost of the medicine accounted for 57.5% (9 806.82 yuan)of the total hospitalization cost and the fee of medical examination accounted for 19.9% (3 393.91 yuan)of the total cost.The munber of day of hospitalization,the registered residence,the mode of payment,and the diagnostic classification had significant impacts on the medical expense. Conclusion Effective prevention of viral hepatitis,reducing the munber of days of hospitalization reasonably,and controlling the cost of drug are effective means to reduce the economic burden of viral hepatitis patients.