Aging, sex, and cost of medical treatment

Objective: Association between medical cost from workplace injuries and aging and its effect modification by sex were examined. Methods: Medical costs reimbursed from workers' compensation between 2003 and 2009 were used. A multiple zero-truncated negative binomial regression predicted percent changes in medical cost. Cubic regression spline smoothers tested effect modification. Results: Reimbursed medical costs comprised 3452 claims. Medical costs increased with aging; however, the trends differ by sex. Medical cost increase after 10 years of age increase was 27% among men (95% CI = 17% to 38%) and was 15% among women (12% to 22%). Medical cost spent among the youngest women was higher than that for the oldest men. The ratio of cost between the oldest women and oldest men was double. Conclusions: Prioritizing controls for injuries in hospitals should focus on women and aging workers.