Abstract
Background and Objectives: Asthma is one of the chronic respiratory diseases affecting both genders and all ages across the globe. The treatment and control of asthma imposes significant economic burden on patients as well as the healthcare system. Patients also report absenteeism from school/work and poor quality of life. There are very few studies evaluating the cost of asthma in UAE. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost of asthma in Dubai region of United Arab Emirates. Material and Methods: Asthma prevalence and unit cost estimates were applied to the population of Dubai aged 5 years and above, based on the figures from the Dubai Statistic Center 2009 census. The asthma treatment profiles of the patients in Dubai as well as the days absent from school/work and quality of life data were obtained from the Asthma Insights and Reality for the Gulf and Near East (AIRGNE) study. The cost of drugs was procured from the purchase department of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and cost of out-patient visits as well as hospital stay and emergency visits was also provided by the DHA. The cost of asthma in this study is the direct cost of drugs, hospital stay and visits as out-patient and ER visits, along with supplementary costs in terms of days lost from work or school. Results: The total direct cost of asthma in Dubai was about 88 million Dirhams (AED 87,917,202). The maximum contribution to this was from expenditure on out-patient visits (37% - AED 32,217,143), followed by that on hospital stays (23% - AED 23,587,008). The cost on medication and ER visits represented 20% and 16% of the direct cost respectively. Absenteeism from school was reported by 50% of asthmatic children, asthmatics also reported an average loss of 4 days of work per year due to asthma. Conclusion: There is a huge economic burden on the patients and healthcare services due to asthma. Taking into account the considerable expenditure on the out-patient visits, ER visits and hospital stay, efforts must be directed towards improved asthma control and patient education about their disease.
Highlights
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by chest tightness, wheezing, cough and shortness of breath
The cost of drugs was procured from the purchase department of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and cost of out-patient visits as well as hospital stay and emergency visits was provided by the DHA
The cost of asthma in this study is the direct cost of drugs, hospital stay and visits as out-patient and Emergency Room (ER) visits, along with supplementary costs in terms of days lost from work or school
Summary
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by chest tightness, wheezing, cough and shortness of breath. 300 million people around the globe suffer from asthma It affects all ages and both genders; the prevalence varying between 1-18% in different countries across the world [1] .There is a changing prevalence in countries over the past few years, which may be attributed to the change in awareness and diagnostic practices for asthma [2]. A study from the Al Ain region of UAE shows asthma prevalence of 13% using the ISAAC questionnaire [6], while another based on the ECRHS questionnaire shows a range of 8 – 10% across UAE [7].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
