Costs associated with acute respiratory illness and select virus infections in hospitalized children, El Salvador and Panama, 2012–2013

Abstract

Background and objectives: Although acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a leading cause of hospitalization among young children, few data are available about cost of hospitalization in middle-income countries. We estimated direct and indirect costs associated with severe ARI resulting in hospitalization among children aged < 10 years in El Salvador and Panama through the societal perspective. Methods: During 2012 and 2013, we surveyed caregivers of children hospitalized with ARI about their direct medical (i.e., outpatient consultation, medications, hospital fees), non-medical (transportation, childcare), and indirect costs (lost wages) at discharge and 7 days after discharge. We multiplied subsidized hospital bed costs derived from administrative data by hospitalization days to estimate provider costs. Results: Overall, 638 children were enrolled with a median age of 12 months (IQR 6-23). Their median length of hospitalization was 4 days (IQR 3-6). In El Salvador, caregivers incurred a median of US$38 (IQR 22-72) in direct and indirect costs per illness episode, while the median government-paid hospitalization cost was US$118 (IQR 59-384) generating an overall societal cost of US$219 (IQR 101-416) per severe ARI episode. In Panama, caregivers incurred a median of US$75 (IQR 39-135) in direct and indirect costs, and the health-care system paid US$280 (IQR 150-420) per hospitalization producing an overall societal cost of US$393 (IQR 258-552). Conclusions: The cost of severe ARI to caregivers and the health care system was substantive. Our estimates will inform models to estimate national costs of severe ARI and cost-benefit of prevention and treatment strategies.

Burden of disease attributed to acute respiratory infections in South America

“…The highest rates were found in regions of medium SDI, as reported by Jin et al [14]. A close look at LRIs, including pneumonia, reveals that they are among the leading causes of death worldwide among adults over 50 years of age [8,26]; in 31 Latin American countries, they were the third most frequent cause of death in adults between 2001 and 2003 [28]. Chicaiza-Ayala et al [29], when describing the burden of ARIs in Ecuador between 2011 and 2015, reported 14.84 million cases and 17,757 deaths (0.12%), which were calculated using a different methodology from the one used in this study.…”

“…In the absence of previous studies and reliable data sources for the measures surveyed in the chosen countries, the data, measures, and metrics offered by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) were used [4,5,7,25,28,29,36,37]. IHME [7] is an independent global health research centre at the University of Washington.…”

“…The same is true about the health burden of ARIs since reliable population estimates about their prevalence, incidence, mortality, and prognosis are lacking [5,8,9,25,26]. Some studies summarize results from countries, regions [14,27] or even municipalities in a partial way, where secondary data on hospitalizations are used [18,[28][29][30][31] or where information is obtained from a single health unit [10], making it impossible to have a comprehensive view of countries as a whole.…”

Seasonal Influenza Prevention and Control Progress in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Context of the Global Influenza Strategy and the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Ongoing studies are assessing the economic impact of influenza in LACs. A 2012–2013 study evaluating direct medical (outpatient consultation, medications, hospital fees), direct nonmedical (transportation, childcare), and indirect costs (lost wages) of hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections in El Salvador and Panama estimated a median societal cost of US$219 (interquartile range [IQR]: $101–416) and US$393 (IQR: $258–552) per case, respectively, 24 with the government paying the majority of that cost. A 2008–2020 cohort study among children in Argentina found the median cost of hospitalization was US$529 (IQR: $362–789).…”

Một Số Yếu Tố Liên Quan Đến Kết Quả Điều Trị Nhiễm Khuẩn Hô Hấp Cấp Tính Tại Khoa Khám Và Điều Trị 24 Giờ, Bệnh Viện Nhi Trung Ương

“…Với nhóm BN có nằm điều trị tại khoa điều trị tích cực thì thời gian nằm viện trung bình 16 ngày, ngắn nhất là 13 ngày và dài nhất là 22 ngày. Thời gian nằm tại khoa điều trị tích cực trung bình là 5 ngày [8].…”