Hui-Chu Lang

International survey on willingness-to-pay (WTP) for one additional QALY gained: what is the threshold of cost effectiveness?

Although the threshold of cost effectiveness of medical interventions is thought to be 20 000- 30 000 UK pounds in the UK, and

Current patterns of irritable bowel syndrome in Taiwan: the Rome II questionnaire on a Chinese population

50 000-

Prevalence and health/social impacts of functional dyspepsia in Taiwan: A study based on the Rome Criteria Questionnaire Survey assisted by endoscopic exclusion among a physical check-up population

100 000 in the US, it is well known that these values are unjustified, due to lack of explicit scientific evidence. We measured willingness-to-pay (WTP) for one additional quality-adjusted life-year gained to determine the threshold of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Our study used the Internet to compare WTP for the additional year of survival in a perfect status of health in Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Taiwan, Australia, the UK, and the US. The research utilized a double-bound dichotomous choice, and analysis by the nonparametric Turnbull method. WTP values were JPY 5 million (Japan), KWN 68 million (ROK), NT

Gender difference on the symptoms, health-seeking behaviour, social impact and sleep quality in irritable bowel syndrome: a Rome II-based survey in an apparent healthy adult Chinese population in Taiwan.

2.1 million (Taiwan), 23 000 UK pounds (UK), AU

Social and medical impact, sleep quality and the pharmaceutical costs of heartburn in Taiwan

64 000 (Australia), and US

Impact of the case payment reimbursement method on the utilization and costs of laparoscopic cholecystectomy

62 000 (US). The discount rates of outcome were estimated at 6.8% (Japan), 3.7% (ROK), 1.6% (Taiwan), 2.8% (UK), 1.9% (Australia), and 3.2% (US). Based on the current study, we suggest new classification of cost-effectiveness plane and methodology for decision making.

Statins decrease the risk of decompensation in hepatitis B virus– and hepatitis C virus–related cirrhosis: A population-based study

Background : Irritable bowel syndrome is a common condition seen in Western countries. In Asia, however, it is less known and even less studied.

Validation of EQ-5D in patients with cervical cancer in Taiwan

Objective Until now, the epidemiology of functional dyspepsia (FD) and its social impact on Asians have been rarely studied. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, social impact, and health-seeking behaviors of FD in an apparently healthy Chinese population in Taiwan. Material and methods Based on the questionnaire provided by the Rome II working team, a survey was administered to a Taiwanese population receiving paid physical check-up (n=2865). Esophagoduodenoscopy was performed in each subject to exclude organic dyspepsia. Finally, diagnoses of functional gastrointestinal disorders were obtained by means of a computer-generated algorithm. Results The FD prevalences were 23.8% and 11.8% according to the Rome I and -II criteria, respectively. Nearly 60% of Rome I-defined FD subjects and 18.9% of Rome II-defined FD subjects had overlapping irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Irrespective of any Rome definition, FD subjects had excessive physician visits, absenteeism, and sleep disturbances compared to dyspepsia-free controls (p<0.01). Moreover, over half of the Rome II FD subjects were “consulters” showing excessive physician visits, absenteeism, and sleep disturbances than “non-consulters”. The dysmotility-like subgroup (74.5%) comprised the majority of FD subjects and showed no differences to their ulcer-like counterparts in terms of major demographic data and social and health impacts. Conclusions FD is a common complaint in Taiwan and also bears an obvious social and medical burden to society. Over half of our FD subjects sought medical help, which may be due to the readily accessible medical care in Taiwan. The newly defined Rome II criteria diminish the chance of co-existence of FD and IBS. Further FD classification by the main symptoms appears of limited clinical usefulness.

The Lifetime Cost of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Claims Data Analysis from a Medical Centre in Taiwan

Background : Little is known about the gender effect on irritable bowel syndrome in Asia.

Risk of tuberculosis, serious infection and lymphoma with disease-modifying biologic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Taiwan

Background : Little is known about the social and medical burdens of heartburn in Asia.