Distributions of Usage and the Costs of Conventional Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine for Lung Cancer Patients in Taiwan

Table 4

Expenditures for outpatient services for lung cancer patients (NT$) during the period 1996–2010 one year before and after lung cancer diagnosis.

Characteristic

Non-surgery (𝑁=6,939)

Surgery (𝑁=738)

t value

TCM nonusers (𝑁=5,113)

TCM users (𝑁=1,826)

t value

TCM nonusers (𝑁=508)

TCM users (𝑁=230)

Total

Percentage; (95% CI)

Average; (95% CI)

Total

Percentage; (95% CI)

Average; (95% CI)

Total

Percentage; (95% CI)

Average; (95% CI)

Total

Percentage; (95% CI)

Average; (95% CI)

Outpatient visits one year after lung cancer diagnosis

141,792

78,372

18,148

11,292

Fees for consultation, treatment, and medical supply

181,842,461

42.88; (42.87, 42.88)

1282.46; (1249.09, 1315.83)

71,784,259

41.75; (41.74, 41.76)

915.94; (878.61, 953.28)

14.35***

29,957,288

53.17; (53.16, 53.18)

1650.72; (1538.08, 1763.36)

14,166,877

45.07; (45.05, 45.09)

1254.59; (1137.20, 1371.98)

4.77***

Diagnosis fee

30,666,528

7.23; (7.23, 7.23)

216.28; (215.63, 216.93)

17,116,958

9.96; (9.95, 9.96)

218.41; (217.67, 219.14)

−4.26***

3,764,169

6.68; (6.67, 6.69)

207.42; (205.82, 209.01)

2,437,653

7.75; (7.75, 7.76)

215.87; (213.89, 217.86)

−6.51***

Drug fee

211,579,372

49.89; (49.89, 49.90)

1492.18; (1462.74, 1521.62)

83,032,934

48.29; (48.29, 48.30)

1059.47; (1026.91, 1092.03)

19.32***

22,621,500

40.15; (40.14, 40.16)

1246.50; (1180.61, 1312.39)

14,829,824

47.18; (47.16, 47.19)

1313.30; (1219.56, 1407.04)

−1.14

Total amount

424,088,361

100

2990.92; (2945.98, 3035.86)

171,934,151

100

2193.82; (2143.54, 2244.10)

23.17***

56,342,957

100

3104.64; (2973.91, 3235.37)

31,434,354

100

2783.77; (2631.91, 2935.63)

3.14**

Outpatient visits one year before lung cancer diagnosis

132,886

56,631

12,817

7,512

Fees for consultation, treatment, and medical supply

82,399,038

49.29; (49.28, 49.3)

620.07; (600.21, 639.94)

23,736,072

42.67; (42.66, 42.69)

419.14; (399.76, 438.51)

14.19***

8,969,651

55.09; (55.06, 55.11)

699.82; (633.15, 766.49)

3,851,397

45.71; (45.67, 45.74)

512.7; (474.3, 551.1)

4.77***

Diagnosis fee

29,313,743

17.54; (17.53, 17.54)

220.59; (220.01, 221.18)

12,468,308

22.42; (22.41, 22.43)

220.17; (219.39, 220.94)

0.86

2,752,677

16.91; (16.89, 16.92)

214.77; (212.98, 216.55)

1,661,546

19.72; (19.69, 19.75)

221.19; (218.79, 223.59)

−4.20***

Drug fee

55,455,774

33.17; (33.17, 33.18)

417.32; (409.28, 425.36)

19,416,544

34.91; (34.90, 34.92)

342.86; (329.2, 356.52)

9.20***

4,559,885

28.01; (27.98, 28.03)

355.77; (339.48, 372.06)

2,913,321

34.57; (34.54, 34.61)

387.82; (354.65, 421)

−1.70

Total amount

167,168,555

100

1257.98; (1236.48, 1279.48)

55,620,684

100

982.16; (958.35, 1005.97)

16.85***

16,282,213

100

1270.36; (1202.13, 1338.59)

8,426,264

100

1121.71; (1069.67, 1173.75)

3.40***

TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; ^∗𝑃<0.05; ^∗∗𝑃<0.01; ^∗∗∗𝑃<0.001; CI: confidence interval.