Economic burden of diabetes in Brazil in 2014

Diabetes and its complications produce significant clinical, economic and social impact. The knowledge of the costs of diabetes generates subsidies to maintain the financial sustainability of public health and social security systems, guiding research and health care priorities.

The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of diabetes in Brazilian adults in 2014, considering the perspectives of the public health care system and the society.

A prevalence-based approach was used to estimate the annual health resource utilization and costs attributable to diabetes and related conditions. The healthcare system perspective considered direct medical costs related to outpatient and hospitalization costs. The societal perspective considered non-medical (transportation and dietary products) and indirect costs (productivity loss, disability, and premature retirement). Outpatient costs included medicines, health professional visits, exams, home glucose monitoring, ophthalmic procedures, and costs related to end stage renal disease. The costs of hospitalization attributed to diabetes related conditions were estimated using attributable risk methodology. Costs were estimated in Brazilian currency, and then converted to international dollars (2014).

Based on a national self-reported prevalence of 6.2%, the total cost of diabetes in 2014 was Int$ 15.67 billion, including Int$ 6.89 billion in direct medical costs (44%), Int$ 3.69 billion in non-medical costs (23.6%) and Int$ 5.07 billion in indirect costs (32.4%). Outpatient costs summed Int$ 6.62 billion and the costs of 314,334 hospitalizations attributed to diabetes and related conditions was Int$ 264.9 million. Most hospitalizations were due to cardiovascular diseases (47.9%), followed by diabetes itself (18%), and renal diseases (13.6%). Diet and transportation costs were estimated at Int$ 3.2 billion and Int$ 462.3 million, respectively.

Our results showed a substantial economic burden of diabetes in Brazil, and most likely are underrated as they are based on an underestimated prevalence of diabetes. Healthcare policies aiming at diabetes prevention and control are urgently sought.