Background In the Austrian healthcare system with its full population coverage and lack of gate-keeping mechanisms, there is a dearth of information on service use and costs attributable to mental disorders. The objective was to compare healthcare services use, and healthcare and lost productivity costs in those with and without mental health diagnoses (MHD).
Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of adult population in Austria (n=1008). Information on healthcare service use, medication use and lost productivity was collected for 12-month period. Cost differences were assessed using generalized linear model adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities. Subgroup analyses were conducted for severe and non-severe MHD based on diagnoses.
Results Respondents with and without MHD had similar healthcare services use with 82 % and 80 % having at least one GP visit and 89 % and 90 % having at least one specialist visit, respectively. Respondents with MHD had on average more specialist/GP visits. Among respondents with MHD, 36 % used mental health services, compared to 7 % among those without MHD. While lost productivity cost was 2.4-times higher for respondents with MHD (p < 0.001,95 %CI:1.74-3.35), total healthcare cost was not significantly higher for people with MHD (p = 0.09,95 %CI:0.95-1.85), compared to respondents without MHD. Respondents with severe MHD had 2.61-times higher healthcare cost compared to respondents with non-severe MHD (p < 0.001; 95 %CI:1.48-4.57).
Conclusions Resource use patterns suggest widespread access to specialised care and relatively little use of mental health services. Mental diseases contribute to major lost productivity. Severe MHD contribute to the significantly higher healthcare cost.
