Table 2. Medical cost in the last one month of life of Taiwanese oral cancer decedents from 2009 to 2011 by hierarchical generalized linear model using a random-intercept model.
| Parameter | Estimated cost (U.S. dollars) | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Intercept | 2,470 | <0.001 |
| Socioeconomic status | ||
| Low | Reference | |
| Moderate | 292 | 0.007 |
| High | 249 | 0.037 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | Reference | |
| Female | -292 | 0.117 |
| Age group, years | ||
| More than 65 | Reference | |
| 35–64.99 | 316 | 0.004 |
| 18–34.99 | 819 | 0.018 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index Score | ||
| 0 or 1 | Reference | |
| 2 | 616 | <0.001 |
| 3 | 692 | <0.001 |
| > = 4 | 597 | <0.001 |
| Cancer group | ||
| Local disease | Reference | |
| Advanced disease | -2 | 0.984 |
| Post-diagnosis survival, months | ||
| 0–6 | Reference | |
| 6.01–12 | -761 | <0.001 |
| 12.01–24 | -871 | <0.001 |
| >24 | -659 | <0.001 |
| Primary physician’s specialty | ||
| Other | Reference | |
| Oncologist | -319 | 0.014 |
| Hospital characteristics | ||
| Medical center | Reference | |
| Regional | -31 | 0.848 |
| District | -656 | 0.085 |
| Caseload group | ||
| High | Reference | |
| Medium | -92 | 0.549 |
| Low | -217 | 0.292 |
| Urbanization | ||
| Urban | Reference | |
| Suburban | -197 | 0.116 |
| Rural | -252 | 0.086 |
| Geographic Region | ||
| Northern | Reference | |
| Central | 230 | 0.129 |
| Southern | 181 | 0.168 |
| Eastern | 126 | 0.603 |
| Year | ||
| 2009 | Reference | |
| 2010 | 294 | 0.013 |
| 2011 | 75 | 0.520 |
*Medical cost of aggressive care in the last one month of life US dollars 2,611±3,329.
**95% CI, 95% confidence interval.