OBJECTIVETo analyze the inpatient cost of AIDS related opportunistic infection in a high HIV epidemic area of China.

METHODSInformation was collected and analyzed from 158 inpatients with AIDS related opportunistic infection, including demographic characteristics of patients, types of opportunistic infection and treatment cost (median) from 2008 to 2010 in a high HIV epidemic area.

RESULTSThe inpatient cost per visit for AIDS related opportunistic infection was 2935.7 yuan. The fee per visit for examination, laboratory test, medicine, diagnosis and treatment, nursing, bed was 132.5, 269.0, 1485.5, 367.3, 302.5 and 264.0 yuan, respectively. The inpatient cost per visit for AIDS related opportunistic infection was 4383.1 yuan for male and 3418.6 yuan for female inpatient (U = -1.279, P = 0.201). The cost per visit for AIDS related opportunistic infection was 4703.1 yuan for Han nationality and 3475.9 yuan for minority patient (U = -1.025, P = 0.305). The inpatient cost per visit for AIDS related opportunistic infection was respectively 3429.3, 5022.2, 6705.5 and 2396.7 yuan for farmers, individual businessmen, employees of enterprise and public institution and jobless (H = 28.633, P = 0.000). The cost per visit was lowest for illiteracy patients (2590.2 yuan), 3626.5 yuan for primary school, 4214.3 yuan for junior high school and 6865.8 yuan for high school and higher education (H = 10.828, P = 0.013). The cost per visit for AIDS related opportunistic infection was respectively 2873.6, 4534.3, 3077.8 and 3208.1 yuan for under the age of 29, 30-39 years old, 40-49 years old and beyond the age of 50 (H = 1.515, P = 0.679). The AIDS related opportunistic infection cost per visit for inpatients infected through sex (4621.3 yuan) was higher than that of intravenous drug users (3208.6 yuan, U = -2.588, P = 0.010). Among various types of opportunistic infections, the cost was highest for neurological diseases (5819.7 yuan), 4300.8, 2806.8, and 2083.9 yuan for respiratory diseases, digestive system diseases and skin and mucous membrane diseases, respectively (H = 15.142, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONThe study shows difference of inpatient cost per visit between subgroups, the cost of public institution was higher than that of other professions, the cost of illiteracy patients was lower than other education level, the cost of inpatients infected through sex was higher than that of intravenous drug users, the cost of neurological diseases was higher than that of other types of opportunistic infections.