Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the costs of influenza epidemics in Spanish society. DESIGN: Observational, longitudinal, and multi-centre study of healthcare and non-healthcare resource use associated with flu. SETTING: Two primary care centres, 3 hospital emergency services, and the medical service at an old people's home. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 662 individuals diagnosed with flu who attended MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Direct and indirect costs of flu in Spanish society. RESULTS: The 60.7% of diagnosed cases of flu included in the study came from hospital emergency services, 36.9% from primary health care centres, and 2.4% from an old people's home. During the epidemic period, flu in Spain costs about 1036.9 million euros, taking incidence at 7.9%. Flu-derived costs are higher in over-65 and chronic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza costs fall mainly on hospitals and work through time off. The cost of flu is higher among patients considered to be risk groups.