The Economic Burden of Foodborne Diseases in Singapore

Foodborne Diseases (FBD) are a significant public health issue worldwide, affecting both low and high income countries with over 600 million cases reported in a year. This study provided the first estimate of the economic cost of FBD in Singapore.

The incidence of FBD was first estimated using local data sources. We estimated the cases in the community by applying relevant foodborne and underreporting multipliers elicited through expert opinion and the existing literature. The direct and indirect costs associated with the cases were used to estimate the total economic cost due to FBD from known pathogens and gastroenteritis. Direct costs included both inpatient and primary healthcare utilization. Indirect costs included productivity losses due to absenteeism and wage loss due to premature mortality.

There were 6080 cases of FBD from known pathogens, with a total societal cost of $15.1 million). There were 184 000 cases of unspecified gastroenteritis, which cost $67.1 million. Nontyphoidal Salmonella contributed the most significant number of cases (n = 2050) and the highest societal cost ($8.12 million) among the known pathogens, whereas Listeria had the highest societal cost per case ($49 900).

Our study showed similar results to studies conducted in other countries. This study estimates the true economic burden of FBD. It would help policy makers prioritize FBD so that targeted preventive measures can be implemented to reduce the costs associated with FBD, which pose significant economic costs to society.