Influenza is a largely preventable communicable viral illness. Treatment of influenza and its complications consume considerable resources that could otherwise be used for other essential healthcare resources. The costs to the health system, largely borne by the Australian Government (state/ territory and federal), could be used more efficiently for the prevention of influenza. This study seeks to estimate the direct health care costs to Government for the treatment of influenza. The purpose is to establish a baseline against which the effects from future interventions can be compared, and to estimate the parameters necessary as a first step in undertaking a full economic evaluation. 

 Economic Report into the cost of Influenza to the Australian Health System 216.06 Kb

An updated version of the cost of influenza report has now been published (Newall AT, Scuffham PA. Influenza-related disease: the cost to the Australian healthcare system. Vaccine. 2008;26(52):6818-23.)