Objective: To examine differences in health care charges following a pediatric epilepsy diagnosis based on changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Methods: Billing records were obtained for 171 youth [M (SD) age = 8.9 (4.1) years] newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Differences in health care charges among HRQOL groups (stable low, declining, improving, or stable high as determined by PedsQL(™) scores at diagnosis and 12 months after diagnosis) were examined.
Results: Patients with persistently low or declining HRQOL incurred higher total health care charges in the year following diagnosis (g = .49, g = .81) than patients with stable high HRQOL after controlling for epilepsy etiology, seizure occurrence, and insurance type. These relationships remained consistent after excluding health care charges for behavioral medicine or neuropsychology services (g = .49, g = .80).
Conclusions: Monitoring HRQOL over time may identify youth with epilepsy at particular risk for higher health care charges.
Keywords: health care charges; health care utilization; health-related quality of life; pediatric epilepsy; psychosocial functioning.
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