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Published on: October 31, 2010
A Cost-of-Illness Study of Patients with HIV/AIDS in Bogotá, Colombia
Julien Kuhlmann1, Mussa Keaei1, Rafael Conde2
1Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Insights
The societal cost of HIV/AIDS in Colombia is substantial, with annual patient costs exceeding GDP per capita. Drug expenses form the largest cost component, highlighting the economic burden of HIV/AIDS treatment.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- In 2014, 0.3% of Colombia's population lived with HIV/AIDS, with limited data on patient costs.
- HIV/AIDS presents a significant public health challenge in Colombia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the comprehensive societal costs associated with patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Bogotá, Colombia.
- To provide crucial data for understanding the economic impact of HIV/AIDS in the region.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted.
- Data from 124 patients were collected via medical records and questionnaires, employing a prevalence-based, bottom-up approach.
- Subgroup analyses considered sex, age, CDC classification, and CD4 count.
Main Results:
- The mean annual societal cost per HIV/AIDS patient was $11,505 (2014 USD).
- Drug costs constituted the largest expense (75%, $8,616 annually), followed by productivity costs (10%, $1,044 annually).
- Costs varied by CD4 count, with higher costs observed at higher counts.
Conclusions:
- HIV/AIDS imposes a significant economic burden on Colombian society, with per-patient costs 40% higher than the 2014 GDP per capita.
- Antiretroviral therapy and associated healthcare expenses are major cost drivers.
- The extrapolated total societal cost of HIV/AIDS in Colombia was estimated at $1.431 billion.
Background:
In 2014, 0.3% of the total population in Colombia was living with HIV/AIDS. The data currently available regarding the costs of these patients are very limited.
Objectives:
To estimate the societal costs of patients with HIV/AIDS in Bogotá, Colombia.
Methods:
This study is a quantitative, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study. Costs were assessed with a prevalence-based, bottom-up approach. The data of 124 patients were collected from their medical records in a Bogotá hospital and a questionnaire was developed to measure other health care costs, as well as patient and family costs. Subgroup analyses were performed according to sex, age, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification, and CD4 count (cluster of differentiation 4).
Results:
The mean annual cost per patient with HIV/AIDS was estimated at $11,505 ± 18,658 (2014 US dollars). The larger part was attributable to drug costs (a mean annual cost of $8,616, 75% of the total), whereas productivity costs represented a mean annual cost of $1,044 (10%). Total costs per patient were estimated for a CD4 count of 500 or more, 200 to 499, and less than 200 cells/µl at $13,116, $9,077, and $10,741, respectively (all values in 2014 US dollars).
Conclusions:
HIV/AIDS represents a high societal burden in Colombia. In comparison with the gross domestic product per capita of $7,904 in 2014, the mean annual cost per patient with HIV/AIDS was 40% higher, estimated at $11,505. The largest part of the HIV/AIDS costs was attributed to drugs, followed by productivity costs. Using extrapolation, the total cost of HIV/AIDS for the Colombian society would be $1.431 billion.
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