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The relationship between health literacy and disease specific costs in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Abstract Aim In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between health literacy levels and disease specific costs in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were staged according to GOLD. Methods This was a descriptive study. The Health Literacy Scale of the European Union was filled out by all of the participants. Costs related to COPD were taken into account. Results Compared to health literacy, the total cost of health care and the cost of admission to the emergency room seemed to be higher for subjects with inadequate health literacy levels than for subjects with significant levels of illness (p = .05 and p = .006, respectively). As the number of comorbidities increased, total and emergency department admission costs increased (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively). There was a difference between GOLD stages according to total, pulmonary disease and emergency service costs. Conclusions In this study, it was determined that health literacy is an important factor affecting health expenditures with COPD subjects. With the improvement of health literacy, subjects are expected to reduce the overall cost burden of the disease.