Higher levels of supportive care needs are linked to higher health service use and cost, poor quality of life, and high distress in patients with cirrhosis in Queensland, Australia.

Background: Australians with cirrhosis have significant practical and psychosocial needs. This longitudinal study examined the association between supportive care needs and health service use and costs, and patient outcomes from June 2017 to December 2018.

Methods: The Supportive Needs Assessment tool for Cirrhosis (SNAC), quality of life (Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire and Short Form 36), and distress (distress thermometer) were self-reported through an interview at recruitment (n=433). Clinical data were obtained from medical records and through linkage, and health service use and costs through linkage. Patients were grouped as by needs status. Rates of hospital admissions (per person days at risk) and costs were assessed by needs status [incidence rate ratios (IRR), Poisson regression]. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the differences in SNAC scores by quality of life and distress. Multivariable models included Child-Pugh class, age, sex, recruitment hospital, living arrangements, place of residence, comorbidity burden, and primary liver disease etiology.

Results: In adjusted analyses, compared with patients with low/no needs, patients with unmet needs had more cirrhosis-related admissions (adjusted IRR=2.11, 95% CI=1.48-3.13; p<0.001), admissions through the emergency department (IRR=2.99, 95% CI=1.80-4.97, p<0.001), and emergency presentations (IRR=3.57, 95% CI=1.41-9.02; p<0.001). Total hospitalization costs for cirrhosis admissions were higher for those with unmet needs ($431,242 per person days at risk) compared with those with met needs ($87,363 per person days at risk, adjusted cost ratio=3.52, 95%CI=3.49-3.54; p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, increasing overall mean SNAC scores (higher needs) were correlated with poorer quality of life and higher level of distress (p<0.001 for all comparisons).

Conclusions: Patients with cirrhosis and high unmet psychosocial needs and practical and physical needs have poor quality of life, high distress, and very high service use and costs, highlighting the importance of urgently addressing unmet needs.