Costs associated with tuberculosis control programs at hospitals caring for children.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Healthcare Economics
• Pediatric Public Health

Background:

• Limited data exists on the financial investment required for tuberculosis (TB) infection control in pediatric healthcare settings.
• Understanding these costs is crucial for resource allocation and program planning in pediatric TB prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the costs associated with implementing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection control measures in pediatric hospitals.
• To provide baseline cost data for TB control programs in facilities caring for children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cost analysis of TB control measures implemented between 1994 and 1995.
• Data collected from infection control and TB coordinators at two pediatric hospitals and one pediatric ward.
• Included costs for tuberculin skin testing, respiratory protection programs, and environmental controls.

Main Results:

• Total expenditures for TB control ranged from $15,270 to $28,158 over the two-year study period.
• Engineering controls represented the largest capital investment at two of the three facilities.
• Annual costs for tuberculin skin tests varied significantly ($949 to $12,504/hospital), while respiratory protection programs ranged from $480 to $1680 over two years.

Conclusions:

• The costs of implementing TB control measures in pediatric settings were found to be relatively low and varied by institution.
• These expenditures reflect upgrades to existing programs rather than the cost of an ideal TB control strategy.
• Further research is needed to define and cost optimal TB control programs specifically for pediatric populations.