Evaluation of Direct Medical Cost for HIV/AIDS Management in Iran.
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
Abstract
Background: Although Iran has a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS, government budgets and developmental assistance in the management of the disease have reduced over the years. Accurate knowledge of direct medical costs is key to developing and prioritizing healthcare policies and interventions, as well as allocating healthcare resources within budget constraints,
to achieve policy efficiency.
Objective: To evaluate direct medical costs for the management of HIV/AIDS Patients in Iran.
Method: A one-year retrospective review of 2000 case notes of HIV/AIDS patients of Imam Khomeini Hospital Tehran (Iranian Research Centre for HIV/AIDS) out of which 322 were selected as the sample size for both Pre-ART and ART patients between January and December 2019. Subsequently, systematic sampling was done, with sampling interval offive . Prevalence rate method is used to determine direct medical costs.
Results: Annual cost for management of 322 Pre-ART and 322 ART patients was found to be $191,718 with components of $ 141,492.58 (74%), $48,582.77(25%) and $1,612.92(1%) representing the cost of medications, diagnostic tests and personnel respectively. The main cost driver was found to be medications. The annual cost per prevalent case for HIV/AIDS for Iran was found to be $599.25, with $129.25 representing cost for pre - ART care and $470 for ART care.
Conclusion
Annual cost per prevalent case of HIV/AIDS was 55% of annual expenditure per capita. This is quite enormous considering other diseases of high burden. The annual National cost for Iran is $ 4.9 Million.
Description
Keywords
Direct medical costs, Iran, HIV/AIDS