Rate and Predictors of New Genital Warts Claims and Genital Warts-Related Healthcare Utilization Among Privately Insured Patients in the United States

In Brief Background: Little non-clinic-based data are available on incident genital warts rates and related healthcare use. Goal: The goal of this study was to describe the incidence and predictors of genital warts and associated healthcare utilization patterns among a group of privately insured patients in the United States. Study: Health claims were evaluated prospectively from 5,914,107 privately insured individuals. Results: The rate of new genital warts claims per 100,000 person-years at risk, age-standardized to the 2001 U.S. privately insured population, increased from 117.8 in 1998 to 205.0 in 2001. The highest rates were among 20- to 29-year-olds. The majority of claims came from dermatology and obstetrics/gynecology. Conclusions: The incidence of genital warts, as measured by the rate of new claims, appears to be rising. Age associations with the rate of new genital warts claims differed by gender; these associations may be influenced by changes in health-seeking behavior, potentially driven by health awareness. Using a U.S. claims database, the rate of new genital warts claims increased from 1998 to 2001 and differed by age and gender. Dermatologists and obstetrician/gynecologists generated most claims.