Abstract：Objective To analyze the hospitalization expenses of opportunity infection treatment in female AIDS patients. Methods We collected the information about opportunity infection treatment of 43 female patients with AIDS in an HIV epidemic area in 2008-2013, including basic information, the types of opportunistic infections and treatment expenses. The costs of each therapy item were compared among patients with different characteristics. Results The average total hospitalization expenditure for opportunity infection treatment in the 43 female AIDS patients were (3,418.6±2,671.3) Yuan, and the average costs of physical examination, laboratory testing, drugs, diagnosis, nursing and inpatient bed were (3,327.0±427.7) Yuan, (354.6±363.6) Yuan, (1,659.5±1,457.0) Yuan, (450.4±485.8) Yuan, (347.0±237.2) Yuan and (280.1±187.1) Yuan respectively. No statistically significant differences were found in the above-mentioned expenditures among patients from different ethnic groups (all P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the expenditures for physical examination and laboratory testing among patients with different occupations (H=11.775, H=14.010, both P<0.05), for laboratory testing among patients with different educational backgrounds (H=9.007, P<0.05), for physical examination and laboratory testing among patients with different ages (H=8.788, H=10.997, both P<0.05), for laboratory testing among patients with different transmission routes (U=-2.133, P<0.05) and for nursing among patients with different types of opportunistic infections (H=9.082, P<0.05). The expenditures were all higher in the third-level hospitals than in the second-level hospitals, with statistically significant differences in the expenditures for physical examination and laboratory testing (U=-4.112, U=-4.697, both P<0.05). Conclusions In the hospitalization expenses of opportunity infection treatment in female AIDS patients in the epidemic area, drug expenses account for the highest proportion. The differences in the individual hospitalization costs are mainly due to the expenditures for physical examination and laboratory testing. The expenditures for physical examination and laboratory testing in the third-level hospitals are both higher than those in the second-level hospitals. Necessary referral mechanism should be established for saving medical resources, and reducing and exempting the hospitalization expenses for female AIDS patients should be intensified to decline the likelihood of poverty due to AIDS.
2016, Vol. 23 
