Economic Burden and Cost-effectiveness of Physical Therapy Programs for Osteoporotic Patients: A Systematic Review

  • Dionysios Theodosis Palimeris Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal Disorders Medical School, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
  • Fotini Gialama Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal Disorders Medical School, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
  • Chrysoula Argyrou Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal Disorders Medical School, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
  • Ioannis Κ. Triantafyllopoulos Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal Disorders Medical School, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
  • Efstathios Chronopoulos Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal Disorders Medical School, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
Keywords: οsteoporosis; physical therapy; exercise; economic burden; cost-effectiveness

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The continuous increase in the average world’s population age has revealed osteoporosis as a serious public health concern, which ensues a great economic burden to both patients and society. Despite the fact that many studies have evaluated the economic costs associated with therapeutic interventions for osteoporosis, the cost of physical therapy has not been thoroughly studied yet.

OBJECTIVE: To review the existent data regarding the economic burden of physical therapy programs for osteoporotic patients and evaluate their cost-effectiveness.

METHODS: The articles were systematically sought from the electronic databases of PubMed and the Cochrane Library, using predetermined keywords and their combinations with no limit on publication date. Eligible studies were selected based on a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, limiting articles to those published in English language.

RESULTS: A total of six studies were included, all of which evaluated the economic burden of physical therapy. The search strategy concerning the cost-effectiveness of physical therapy programs yielded no results. DISCUSSION: The cost of physical therapy programs seems to vary significantly among the studies. However, there is limited evidence available regarding the cost of physical therapy and none regarding its cost-effectiveness and thus further research is needed in both areas.

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Published
2020-02-18
Issue
Vol 68 No 3 (2017): Acta Orthopaedica Et Traumatologica Hellenica
Section
Original Article