The economic burden of unintentional injuries

ABSTRACT

This study aims to estimate the costs of various unintentional injuries in Ba Vi district during one year, and to describe how the economic burden of unintentional injuries was distributed between households, government and the health insurance agency. Our cohort study involved four cross sectional household surveys among sampled communities in Ba Vi district during the year 2000, each asking about injuries in the preceding 3 months. The costing system in public health care in Viet Nam was applied as well as information from the victims. The total cost of injuries for the Ba Vi district was estimated to be 3.412.539.000 VND. Equivalent to the yearly income of 1800 people. 90% of this economic burden fell on households, only 8% on government and 2% on the health insurance agency. The cost of a severe injury to the victim corresponded to approximately 7 months of earned income. Home and traffic injuries together accounted for more than 80% of the total cost, 45% and 38% respectively.