Abstract
BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is well recognized as a major and increasing burden to the country's resources due to its severe, long term debilitating effects on individuals, families and the society at large. The aim of the study was to estimate the direct annual treatment costs of DM and its related complications among patients in Al-Ain city, UAE.MethodsA sample of 150 DM patients were enrolled during 2004-2005, and their medical costs over the ensuing 12 months was measured, quantified, analyzed and extrapolated to the population in Al-Ain and UAE, using conventional and inference statistics. The costs were converted from UAE Dirhams to US Dollar, using the official conversion rate of US$ (1 USD = 3.68 AED).ResultsThe total annual direct treatment costs of DM among patients without complications in Al Ain-UAE, was US $1,605 (SD = 1,206) which is 3.2 times higher than the per capita expenditure for health care in the UAE (US$ 497) during 2004 (WHO, 2004). However, this cost increased 2.2 times with the presence of DM related complications for patients with microvascular complications, by 6.4 times for patients with macrovascular complications and 9.4 times for patients with both micro and macrovascular complications. Likewise, the annual direct hospitalization costs of DM patients increased by 3.7 times for patients with microvascular complications, by 6.6 times for patients with macrovascular complications and by 5 times for patients with both micro and macrovascualr complications. Overall, costs increased with age, diabetes duration and were higher for patients treated with insulin compared to those treated with oral hypoglycemic agents or with diet control only.ConclusionsDM direct treatment costs increased with the presence and progression of chronic DM related complications. Hospitalisation costs constituted a large proportion and were increasingly higher with the presence and progression of DM related complications. To reduce the impact on healthcare resources, efforts should be made to prevent progression to DM complications, by implementing guidelines for diabetes care, screening for complications and better management.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is well recognized as a major and increasing burden to the country’s resources due to its severe, long term debilitating effects on individuals, families and the society at large
This study aims to estimate the overall patient treatment costs of DM in this part of the UAE; including the direct management costs of the disease and its related chronic macro and micro-vascular complications
To estimate these costs per individual patient, we explored the treatment profiles of a sample of DM patients over a one year period
Summary
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is well recognized as a major and increasing burden to the country’s resources due to its severe, long term debilitating effects on individuals, families and the society at large. The aim of the study was to estimate the direct annual treatment costs of DM and its related complications among patients in Al-Ain city, UAE. A population survey in Al Ain, UAE, in 2000 estimated the prevalence of DM at 25% among nationals (UAE citizens) and 19% among non-nationals (other GCC countries and expatriates) [5]. Another recent study in the UAE showed that 19% of diabetic patients suffered from DM retinopathy, 35% from DM neuropathy, 12% from peripheral vascular disease, 14% from coronary artery disease, 4% from cerebro-vascular disease, 35% from hypertension and 31% from dyslipidaemia [6,7]. The Ministry of Health in the UAE reported that DM constitutes the 6th leading cause of death in the population [8]
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