Abstract
BACKGROUND: Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in the UK and imposes a huge economic burden on society. Both the prevalence and extent of smoking are significantly higher among people with mental disorders than among the general population.
AIMS: To estimate the economic costs of the health effects of cigarette smoking among people with mental disorders in the UK from a societal perspective.
METHODS: This study uses the WHO's economics of tobacco toolkit to assess the costs of the health effects of cigarette smoking among people with mental disorders in 2009/10 in the UK. Based on the cost of illness approach, direct healthcare costs, indirect morbidity costs and indirect mortality costs due to smoking-related diseases were calculated to estimate the avoidable economic burden of smoking in people with mental disorders.
RESULTS: The estimated economic cost of smoking in people with mental disorders was £2.34 billion in 2009/10 in the UK, of which, about £719 million (31% of the total cost) was spent on treating diseases caused by smoking. Productivity losses due to smoking-related diseases were about £823 million (35%) for work-related absenteeism and £797 million (34%) was associated with premature mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: Smoking in people with mental disorders in the UK imposes significant economic costs. The development and implementation of smoking cessation interventions in this group should therefore be a high economic and clinical priority.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Tobacco Control |
Early online date | 9 Jul 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |