Nov 10, 2010 09:15 ET
Kantar Health Research Wins Presidential Poster of Distinction Award at 2010 AASLD Meeting
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - November 10, 2010) - Hepatitis C (HCV) places a burden on U.S. employers because of increased work productivity loss for those with the virus, according to the National Health and Wellness Survey, conducted by Kantar Health and presented recently in a poster at the 2010 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) annual meeting. The study also suggests that HCV places a substantial burden on the U.S. healthcare system because of an increased number of emergency room and physician visits.
"HCV affects 2.7 million people in the United States, making it the most common blood-borne viral disease," says Marco DiBonaventura, Ph.D., Kantar Health's Director of Health Economics and Outcomes Research. "Although HCV can have dire long-term effects, such as increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer, the results of this study suggest that the virus can place a burden on patients even in earlier stages of infection."
For the study, HCV patients were compared with matched controls that were selected specifically because they were identical to patients in all respects except for the presence of HCV. When compared with these matched controls, HCV patients reported significantly higher work absenteeism, overall work impairment, impairment in daily activities, and worse physical quality of life. In addition, HCV patients reported significantly more physician visits and emergency room visits in the past six months compared to matched controls, highlighting the burden HCV can place on the healthcare system.
The poster, "The Impact of Hepatitis C on Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Healthcare Utilization," was selected as a Presidential Poster of Distinction at the 2010 AASLD meeting. It was developed in conjunction with a major pharmaceutical company and co-written by Dr. DiBonaventura.
About the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS)
The study's results were drawn from the 2009 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS), a nationally representative, self-administered survey conducted annually via the Internet and in-person surveys. Topics covered include the health status, attitudes, behaviors and outcomes among adults 18 or older.
Kantar Health conducts NHWS annually in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The survey is the largest self-reported database in the healthcare industry.
About Kantar Health (http://www.kantarhealth.com/)
Kantar Health is a leading healthcare-focused global consultancy, specializing in portfolio optimization, market access, safety and outcomes, and brand and customer insights. Formed by uniting Consumer Health Sciences, MattsonJack, TNS Healthcare and Ziment, it is the next-generation decision support partner to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, delivering evidence-based guidance to support clients' global and local success.
With 40+ offices throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Kantar Health provides the broadest global footprint, coupled with the strongest local knowledge to help drive clients' maximum performance in every geography. Market-leading solutions ensure optimal decisions and actions across the brand life cycle, from assessing opportunities and sizing markets... to developing products and building access strategies... to positioning brands and creating messaging... to managing stakeholder relationships and monitoring treatment outcomes.
Contact Information
For more information on Kantar Health, please contact
Paula Paradise
Vice President of Global Marketing
Email Contact
+1-484-442-1431
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