Objectives: Depression is highly prevalent worldwide and generates significant economic burden. Despite this, there is still insufficient information on hospitalisation costs related to depression. Therefore, this paper presents a comparison of costs of inpatient care of depression among patients hospitalised in 2014 in Kiel (Germany) and in Poznan (Poland).Methods: The retrospective study was conducted from October 2015 to May 2017 in Kiel and in Poznan and concerned all patients (n = 548 and eventually included n = 444; 334 in Kiel and 110 in Poznan) hospitalised in these centres.Results: The annual cost of inpatient care of patients hospitalised due to depression in 2014 was EUR [Formula: see text] = EUR 9397.21 (total EUR 313,8667.2) in Kiel and EUR [Formula: see text] = EUR 2962.90 (total EUR 325,919.38) in Poznan. In Kiel, the most frequently prescribed medicine was mirtazapine while in Poznan it was venlafaxine.Conclusions: The 3-fold difference in average costs of hospitalisation might result from differences in funding of mental health care which in Poland needs urgent amendment. Besides, mental health care was underfunded in Poznan. In general, treatment was comprehensive in both centres. Non-pharmacological treatment, however, was more comprehensive in Kiel.KEY POINTSThe cost of inpatient care of depression was very high both in Kiel and Poznan.Inpatient care of depression is long-lasting, but a reduction in the length of hospital stay seems to be possible.Hospital stay is the main part of costs of inpatient care of depression.Treatment of depression should be comprehensive, but differences e.g. in pharmacotherapy used are possible between hospitals and/or countries.
Keywords: Depression; comparison; costs; hospitalisation; therapy.