Source
The Diabetes Unit, Menzies Centre for Health Policy, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Abstract
AIM:
To determine the health system costs, cost to people with diabetes and their carers, and impact on quality of life associated with type 2 diabetes in Vanuatu.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional paper based survey was administered to 199 people with type 2 diabetes as part of a larger diabetes project.
RESULTS:
There were 172 respondents (86% response rate) with a mean age of 56 years (mean duration of diabetes 8 years, 106 females; 67 unemployed). Over the preceding year there were 2352 outpatient visits for health care totalling 442,400 vatu ($4020 USD); 140 overnight hospital stays totalling 1,383,620 vatu ($12,580 USD); and prescription medications costing 3220 vatu/person ($29.20 USD). Major out-of-pocket costs for individuals were the over-the-counter medications totalling 6600 vatu/person/year ($60 USD) for 31 people (18%); transport at 1980 vatu/person/year ($18.00 USD) for 110 people (64%) and special diets for 38 people (22%) costing 36,480 vatu/person ($332 USD). Quality of life was 91/100 on the EQ-5D visual analogue scale.
CONCLUSIONS:
Given that diabetes in Vanuatu is likely to be significantly under-diagnosed and under-treated the current costs, while substantial are artificially low but are set to rise sharply with increased awareness of diabetes and growing rates of obesity.
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