RESUMEN
Objectives: To estimate the direct costs of diabetic care and to correlate the disease severity and its complications with the pharmaceutical cost of the care
Design: The research design is non-interventional descriptive study and sample is non-particular purposive
Place and Duration: This study conducted in two cities Karachi and Rawalpindi, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital from March 2003 to May 2003
Patients and Methods: Physician using structured questionnaires interviewed 200 patients. The patients were classified into two clinical groups, those with good glycemic control and without complications were placed in group A while the patients with 6 major complications of diabetic were placed in group B. Health expenditure in first and second year following diagnosis were computed
Results: Patient in Group A spent 2 to 12% of their income, while patient in group B mostly had two or three complications and spent 15 - 22% of their average income on treatment
Conclusion: The study re-emphasizes the need to control diabetes and to make an endeavor to prevent and reduce the incidence of its complications which will not only reduce morbidity, mortality and disability but will also reduce economic burden, This study will serve stimulus for further research into economic aspects of management of various illnesses