Assiri AM, Alsubaie FSF, Amer SA, Almuteri NAM, Ojeil R, Dhopte PR, Alsaqa'aby M, Alotaibi AFM. The economic burden of viral severe acute respiratory infections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A nationwide cost-of-illness study.
IJID REGIONS 2024;
10:80-86. [PMID:
38173861 PMCID:
PMC10762365 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.11.016]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Objectives
The authors conducted a study to estimate the rising disease and economic burden of viral severe acute respiratory infections and their management, including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza types A and B, in early and delayed diagnosis scenarios in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from a national perspective.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2022 using a de novo Excel-based universal cost-of-illness calculator model. The study used primary data, such as expert interviews, as well as secondary data from a thorough literature search.
Results
The total economic burden of viral severe acute respiratory infections in patients with an early diagnosis was lower than those with a delayed diagnosis among patients with complications, both from the payer's (United States dollar [USD] 3846 million vs USD 4726 million) and societal (USD 4048 million vs USD 5020 million, respectively) perspectives. The major cost driver of the total economic burden for both early and delayed diagnosis was disease management costs: 49% (USD 1880 million) and 58% (USD 2730 million), respectively.
Conclusions
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the total economic burden for COVID-19, influenza (epidemic phase), and respiratory syncytial virus was higher with a delayed diagnosis vs an early diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of using a broader diagnostic method.
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