Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 12, 2026
Author Spotlight: Developing a Point-of-Care Hemoglobin Estimation Method for Anemia Management
Published on: January 19, 2024
Economic Burden and Cost-Effectiveness of Cancer Care in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review
Tenaw Baye Tarekegn1, Getachew Ashagrie1, Abebe Tarekegn Kassaw1
1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Objectives:
Cancer care in Ethiopia imposes a significant financial burden, with high direct costs (eg, treatment and hospital stays) and indirect costs (eg, lost productivity). Despite the growing cancer burden, comprehensive data on its economic impact and cost-effectiveness remain limited. This systematic review assesses the economic burden of cancer care and the cost-effectiveness of interventions in Ethiopia, focusing on both adult and pediatric cancers.
Methods:
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies reporting Ethiopian-specific cost data, including direct and indirect costs, catastrophic health expenditure, and cost-effectiveness, were included. Economic evaluations and observational studies covering prevention to palliative care were considered. Cost data were standardized to 2019 values using the Campbell and Cochrane Economics Methods Group and the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating-Centre cost converter. Two independent reviewers' extracted data, with quality assessment using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist.
Results:
Of 656 identified records, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Cancer care costs were substantial, with medications, treatment, and hospital stays being the primary cost drivers. Lost productivity further exacerbated the burden. Pediatric oncology care and human papillomavirus vaccination were consistently cost-effective. Methodological approaches included decision trees, Markov models, and cost-effectiveness analyses. Gaps in uncertainty analysis, discount rates, and sensitivity analysis were noted.
Conclusions:
Cancer care in Ethiopia remains a financial challenge, but cost-effective interventions, such as pediatric oncology programs and human papillomavirus vaccination, can mitigate costs. Strengthening financial protection mechanisms and conducting more detailed economic evaluations are crucial to informing policy and improving cancer care affordability.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...