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Published on: January 28, 2019
Economic burden of rotavirus disease in children under 5 years in Kazakhstan
Renat Latipov1, Aynagul Kuatbaeva, Olga Kristiansen
1University of Oslo, Reference Laboratory of Ministry of Health of Republic of Uzbekistan, 7A Muradova str., Tashkent 100190, Uzbekistan. renatlatip@gmail.com
Insights
Rotavirus infections cost Kazakhstan $37.53 million annually, primarily from indirect costs like lost productivity. These significant economic impacts highlight the need for preventive measures, including rotavirus vaccination.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Rotavirus infections pose a significant public health challenge in Kazakhstan.
- Estimating the economic burden of rotavirus is crucial for resource allocation and policy-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the total societal costs associated with rotavirus cases in children under 5 years old in Kazakhstan.
- To identify the primary cost drivers of rotavirus disease in this population.
Main Methods:
- Societal costs (medical, non-medical, indirect) were collected for 190 hospitalized children under 5 with severe diarrhea in 2009.
- Data for moderate and mild rotavirus cases were sourced from published literature.
- Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was employed to assess uncertainty in cost estimations.
Main Results:
- An estimated 4,000 severe, 30,700 moderate, and 122,900 mild rotavirus cases occur annually in children <5.
- The mean societal cost per case was US$454 (severe), US$82 (moderate), and US$21 (mild).
- Total annual rotavirus cost reached $37.53 million, with indirect costs (productivity losses) accounting for 94% ($35.13 million).
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus-associated diarrhea imposes a substantial economic burden on Kazakhstan, predominantly driven by indirect costs.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering rotavirus costs in public health planning.
- The study supports the potential cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination programs in Kazakhstan.
Background:
We aimed to estimate the societal costs of rotavirus cases among children less than 5 years in Kazakhstan, an upper-middle income country in Central Asia.
Methods:
Data on medical, non-medical and indirect costs were collected for 190 patients less than 5 years, hospitalized with severe diarrhea in 2009 in two pediatric hospitals. Data on resource use for moderate and mild diarrhea cases were obtained from published sources. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to explore uncertainty in cost estimates.
Results:
Approximately 4,000 severe, 30,700 moderate, and 122,900 mild rotavirus cases were estimated annually in children <5 years old. The mean societal cost of a severe, moderate and mild rotavirus case was estimated at US$ 454, 82, and 21, respectively. The total annual cost of rotavirus disease was $37.53 million or on average $107.36 for a child under 5 years old in Kazakhstan. Ninety-four percent of total costs (35.13 million) are indirect costs (productivity losses) from fatal cases and parents' job absenteeism, while direct medical costs account for 2.04 million (5.4%), and direct non-medical for 0.46 million (1.2%).
Conclusions:
Rotavirus-associated diarrhea represents a significant economic burden in Kazakhstan, largely due to indirect costs. The costs of rotavirus infections should be considered when planning further preventive actions, including the introduction of rotavirus vaccination.
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