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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Estimating the burden of genital warts in Taiwan

Tsen-Fang Tsai A G , Smita Kothari-Talwar B , Karen Yee C , Amit Kulkarni B , Nuria Lara D , Montserrat Roset D , Anna R. Giuliano E and Suzanne M. Garland F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Zhongshan S Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100, Taiwan.

B Merck & Co. Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA.

C Cubist Pharmaceuticals, 65 Hayden Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421, USA.

D Intercontinental Marketing Services Health, Carrer de Provença, 392, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.

E Center for Infection Research in Cancer at Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.

F Royal Women’s Hospital, 20 Flemington Road, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.

G Corresponding author. Email: tftsai@yahoo.com

Sexual Health 14(6) 485-491 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH17013
Submitted: 24 January 2017  Accepted: 21 May 2017   Published: 3 October 2017

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of genital warts in Taiwan among those seeking healthcare, as well as genital-warts-related healthcare resource use and costs, and self-reported genital-warts-related psychosocial impact. Methods: Genital warts prevalence estimates were extracted from a daily record of patients examined from 31 October 2011 to 4 May 2012 by 67 physicians in Taiwan. Physicians recorded the total number of patients and genital warts patients seen daily for 2 weeks. These physicians also completed a survey regarding healthcare resource use, treatment, follow-up care, and referral patterns. Patient psychosocial impact was estimated using a self-administered survey. Results: The overall prevalence of genital warts in Taiwan was estimated at 1.1%, with a higher prevalence among men. A total of 146 genital warts case patients were included in the study (76 men, 70 women). Median costs for diagnosis and treatment were US$222 for male and US$351.8 for female patients. Male genital warts subjects reported a negative psychosocial impact on their well-being and health-related quality of life – psychosocial impact results are reported in the Supplementary Material file. Conclusions: Genital warts prevalence was higher among male patients; female patients incurred higher costs. Among men, genital warts had a negative psychosocial impact on well-being and health-related quality of life.

Additional keywords: cost-effectiveness, health services.


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