Access Economics Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Glob Public Health. 2012;7(5):465-81. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2011.634815. Epub 2011 Dec 5.
This study aims to provide a rigorous estimate of the worldwide costs of visual impairment (VI), and the associated health burden. The study used a prevalence-based model. Prevalence rates for mild VI (visual acuity (VA) worse than 6/12 but not worse than 6/18), moderate VI (VA worse than 6/18 but not worse than 6/60) and blindness (VA worse than 6/60) were applied to population forecasts for each World Health Organisation (WHO) subregion. The limited available country cost data were extrapolated between subregions using economic and population health indicators. Age and gender subgroup population numbers were derived from United Nations' data. Costs and the health burden of VI were estimated for each world subregion using published disease prevalence rates, health care expenditures and other economic data. The study includes direct health care costs, indirect costs and the health burden of VI. The total cost of VI globally was estimated at $3 trillion in 2010, of which $2.3 trillion was direct health costs. This burden is projected to increase by approximately 20% by 2020. VI is associated with a considerable disease burden. Unless steps are taken to reduce prevalence through prevention and treatment, this burden will increase alongside global population growth.
本研究旨在提供一个严谨的全球视觉障碍（VI）成本和相关健康负担的估算。该研究使用了基于患病率的模型。将轻度 VI（视力（VA）差于 6/12 但不差于 6/18）、中度 VI（VA 差于 6/18 但不差于 6/60）和失明（VA 差于 6/60）的患病率应用于每个世界卫生组织（WHO）分区的人口预测。利用经济和人口健康指标在分区之间推断有限的国家成本数据。年龄和性别亚组人口数源自联合国的数据。利用已发表的疾病患病率、医疗保健支出和其他经济数据，估算了全球每个世界分区的 VI 成本和健康负担。本研究包括直接医疗保健成本、间接成本和 VI 的健康负担。全球 VI 的总成本在 2010 年估计为 3 万亿美元，其中 2.3 万亿美元是直接医疗成本。预计到 2020 年，这一负担将增加约 20%。VI 与相当大的疾病负担有关。除非通过预防和治疗来降低患病率，否则这一负担将随着全球人口增长而增加。
