ABSTRACT
Objectives: To estimate patient treatment cost of oral diseases in Ghana Design: A cross-sectional study design using cost-of-illness analysis was employed Setting: The study was conducted at the dental unit of the University of Ghana Hospital, Legon Participants: About185 patients attending the dental unit of the hospital were selected Interventions: None Main outcome measures: Direct medical and non-medical costs, indirect costs, and intangible costs of treatment of oral conditions Results: The estimated average cost of treatment for oral diseases was US$ 35.75. The total cost was US$ 6,614.11, with the direct and indirect costs constituting 94.5% and 5.5%, respectively of the total cost. Direct medical costs constituted 86.9%, while direct non-medical costs constituted 13.1% of the total direct cost. The richer socio-economic group had the highest cost per quintile, with a mean of US$ 46.69. The intangible cost described was highest for pain (47.1%), followed by difficulty in eating (40.8%) and sleeping (34.6%) for both men and women. Conclusion: The costs of oral diseases are huge and cannot be overlooked. Oral diseases also pose significant productivity losses to patients
Subject(s)
Direct Service Costs , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Disease , Analysis of Situation , Substance Abuse, Oral , Health Services Accessibility , Statistics as Topic , GhanaABSTRACT
HIV/AIDS has the potential to impose a major economic impact on Lesotho. The total long run economic impact of HIV/AIDS between the years 1993 and 1998 is estimated to total M522;035;686 in constant 1992 prices. This figure includes the total direct medical costs (M66;497;825); the total direct non-personal costs (M48;460;02); and the total indirect costs (M437;077;840). With the rapid increase in HIV infection in Lesotho; the cost of the pandemic promises to spiral. Its cost would not only impact health care services; but many other sectors of the economy as well