Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume 25, Issue 8, 2019, Pages 1501-1510

Direct medical costs of 3 reportable travel-related infections in ontario, canada, 2012–2014 (Article) (Open Access)

Savage R.D.* , Rosella L.C. , Crowcroft N.S. , Horn M. , Khan K. , Holder L. , Varia M.
  • a Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, ICES, Toronto, Canada
  • b University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, ICES, Toronto, Canada
  • c University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Canada
  • d Peel Public Health, Mississauga, ON, Canada
  • e University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
  • f ICES, Toronto, Canada
  • g Peel Public Health, Mississauga, ON, Canada

Abstract

Immigrants traveling to their birth countries to visit friends or relatives are disproportionately affected by travel-related infections, in part because most preventive travel health services are not publicly funded. To help identify cost-effective policies to reduce this disparity, we measured the medical costs (in 2015 Canadian dollars) of 3 reportable travel-related infectious diseases (hepatitis A, malaria, and enteric fever) that accrued during a 3-year period (2012–2014) in an ethnoculturally diverse region of Canada (Peel, Ontario) by linking reportable disease surveillance and health administrative data. In total, 318 case-patients were included, each matched with 2 controls. Most spending accrued in inpatient settings. Direct healthcare spending totaled $2,058,196; the mean attributable cost per case was $6,098 (95% CI $5,328–$6,868) but varied by disease (range $4,558– $7,852). Costs were greatest for enteric fever. Policies that address financial barriers to preventive health services for high-risk groups should be evaluated. © 2019, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

immigrant economic status human comorbidity hepatitis A travel related disease middle aged typhoid fever controlled study Malaria Aged sensitivity analysis disease surveillance health care cost school child Adolescent male Canada preschool child female Incidence Article health care utilization Plasmodium vivax major clinical study gender adult age Plasmodium falciparum Birth Setting cohort analysis case control study cost effectiveness analysis Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85069937981&doi=10.3201%2feid2508.190222&partnerID=40&md5=c08ab3cc032d2125763040d47df77951
DOI: 10.3201/eid2508.190222
ISSN: 10806040
Original Language: English