Background: The direct cost burden of epilepsy in the US from a third-party payer perspective has not been evaluated. Furthermore, no study has quantified the indirect (work-loss) cost burden of epilepsy from an employer perspective in the US. Objective: To assess the annual direct costs for...

This paper explores the effects of a standard influencing care choice. Firm(s) may increase the probability of offering safe products by incurring a cost. Under duopoly, they compete either in prices or in quantities. Under perfect information about safety for consumers, the selected standard...

Background: Since confidence is an important predictor of ability to lose weight, methods for increasing weight-control confidence are important. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between short-term behavior changes (`behavioral bootstrapping') and change in weight-control...

The rapid expansion of disease management continues. A multitude of stakeholders and marketplaces are now involved in providing cost-effective quality healthcare for individuals and populations. To help you keep up to date with the very latest developments in disease management, this section of...

Healthy lifestyle behaviors can prevent the onset of chronic illness and help manage existing conditions. Health coaching interventions are increasingly being incorporated into health management programs, which are implemented in a variety of settings, from physician practices to the broader...

Migraine is a highly prevalent, nonfatal disorder typically characterized by recurrent episodes of headache associated with such symptoms as nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia and impaired functioning. The attacks may be infrequent and relatively mild; more often they are frequent, severe...

Objective: To understand how patients with chronic illness use the Internet to manage their health. Design and Participants: An online survey was conducted among 10 069 patients with chronic illnesses. Survey results were obtained from patients with 35 separate chronic conditions, with at least...

Stopping smoking is the most important action that all smokers can take to improve their current and future health. Current smoking cessation treatments produce only modest long-term abstinence rates, and so new cessation methods are required if more smokers are to quit and to avoid relapse....

Depression is a common, serious illness that affects millions of individuals, most often in their prime years of productivity. There is strong evidence that depression is as debilitating as most other general medical conditions and results in increased general medical resource utilisation. The...