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Table 2 Costs and changes in costs for UC and FSM, by category and period

From: Cost-effectiveness of chronic fatigue self-management versus usual care: a pilot randomized controlled trial

   Pre (3 months)    Post (12 months)   
Variables n (%) users # of Contacts ± SD † Cost ($) † n (%) users # of Contacts ± SD † Cost ($) † Changes in Costs ($)
Usual Care (UC), n = 33        
1. GP visit 21 (64) 1 ± .3 70 21 (76) 0 ± .2 47 −23
2. Specialist visit 15 (45) 1 ± .5 26 15 (67) 1 ± 1.5 60 34
3. Other provider visit 11 (33) 1 ± 1.1 58 11 (67) 1 ± 1.6 93 35
4. Provider (1 + 2 + 3) 26 (79) 1 ± 1.2 97 26 (85) 3 ± 2.4 162 65
5. ER/hospital visit 2 (6) 1 ± .2 319 2 (24) 0 ± .2 260 −59
6. Rx medications 26 (79) 1 ± .6 32 26 (85) 1 ± .8 29 −3
7. Laboratory test 21 (64) 1 ± .5 44 21 (79) 1 ± .9 47 3
8. Informal care, hours 16 (48) 43 ± 38.3 427 16 (79) 33 ± 32.3 334 −93
9. Missed work, hours 13 (39) 8 ± 8.1 125 13 (55) 6 ± 4.5 91 −34
10. Total cost (4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9)*    1216    1726  
11. Annualized average cost    4862    6903 2041
12. Intervention cost    0    0  
13. Grand total (11 + 12)    4862    6903 2041
Fatigue Self-Management (FSM), n = 30        
1. GP visit 15 (50) 1 ± .4 70 15 (73) 0 ± .7 49 −21
2. Specialist visit 8 (27) 1 ± 1.7 37 8 (80) 1 ± .8 43 6
3. Other provider visit 8 (27) 1 ± .8 77 8 (63) 1 ± 1.8 83 6
4. Provider (1 + 2 + 3) 21 (70) 1 ± 1.3 93 21 (97) 2 ± 2 127 34
5. ER/hospital visit 3 (10) 0 ± 0 213 3 (20) 0 ± .1 102 −111
6. Rx medications 21 (70) 1 ± .6 30 21 (87) 1 ± .5 21 −9
7. Laboratory test 14 (47) 1 ± .4 38 14 (77) 1 ± 1.1 29 −9
8. Informal care, hours 8 (27) 27 ± 29.5 269 8 (40) 22 ± 29.5 220 −49
9. Missed work, hours 10 (33) 10 ± 7.5 166 10 (50) 5 ± 4.7 83 −83
10. Total cost (4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9)*    757    939  
11. Annualized average cost    3026    3754 728
12. Intervention cost†    0    285  
13. Grand total (11 + 12)    3026    4039 1012
  1. GP = General Practitioner; ER = Emergency Room; Rx = Prescription; †contacts/costs were calculated among users; *Total costs during the post- period were standardized to 3-months so that the results are comparable to the pre- period.
  2. †Intervention costs included: Personnel ($69), booklet ($10), time spent ($154), and facility and other ($52).
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