IES2025 Oral Communications Oral Communications (14 abstracts)
Healthcare costs associated with overweight and obesity in Ireland
Seán Fennessy *1,2 , Raymond H Henderson *3 , Lisa McFetridge 4 , Karen Cairns 4 , Órla Walsh 5 , Sandra Redmond 3 , Colin Davenport 6 , Donal O’Shea 1,2 & * These authors contributed equally to this work
1St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland; 2University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4; 3Salutem Insights Ltd, Clough, Portlaoise, Garryduff, Ireland; 4Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK; 5Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street, Temple St., Dublin 1, Ireland; 6Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Mill Rd, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland
The impact of obesity on healthcare systems requires periodic assessment to inform policy. The primary aim of this study was to determine the direct costs of overweight and obesity in the Republic of Ireland. This study utilised data from Wave 8 (2022) of the Healthy Ireland Survey (HIS), an annual, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey that collects a variety of data pertaining to people aged 15 years and older. Data on demographics, body mass index (BMI) and obesity-related conditions (ORCs) were extracted and analysed, while healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) was quantified via measurement of general practitioner (GP) visits, hospital inpatient stays, consultant visits, and emergency department (ED) attendances. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between BMI, ORCs, and HCRU, adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioural covariates. A bottom-up costing approach was then applied to estimate the direct healthcare costs associated with overweight and obesity. A total of 7,455 individuals participated in the 2022 wave, with 6,858 respondents suitable for inclusion in the final analysis. We estimate the total direct healthcare cost of overweight and obesity in Ireland to be C= 1.1 billion in 2025 (representing approximately 3.2% of the healthcare budget for that year). The increased cost was primarily driven by a direct association between increased BMI and frequency of GP visits (C= 582.2 million) along with an increased HCRU at all levels of the healthcare system by individuals with ORCs (C= 515.0 million). Overweight and obesity continue to account for a significant percentage of the total healthcare budget in Ireland.
Volume 115
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Endocrine Abstracts
ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)
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