Bovell Andre A N, Ncayiyana Jabulani, Ginindza Themba G
Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa.
Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit (CIDERU), College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Apr 3;22(4):552. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22040552.
Colorectal cancer burden is a threat to health systems in several countries. As the cost of diagnosing, treating, and managing this cancer is unknown in Antigua and Barbuda, this study aimed to estimate its direct medical cost in this country. We used the prevalence-based cost-of-illness methodology to study data on patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2017 and 2021. Data record abstraction was carried out to determine the five-year prevalence, and a top-down and bottom-up approach was employed to estimate the direct medical costs for colorectal cancer care components. All costs were computed at 2021 price levels and are reported in United States dollars. The total annual direct medical costs for colorectal cancer were estimated at USD 1.14 million (ranging between USD 0.85 million and USD 1.42 million). Major cost drivers were treatment (USD 613,650.01) and post-treatment side-effects care (USD 402,234.50). The overall estimated direct medical unit costs were USD 139,295.58, with the main drivers being surgery (USD 43,467.10), other complications of treatment (USD 28,469.21), and immunotherapy (USD 19,200.00). This study provides evidence of the economic burden of colorectal cancer in Antigua and Barbuda. The estimates of annual direct medical costs are substantial. Our findings could help in the development of health policy and aid in resource allocation related to local colorectal cancer management.
结直肠癌负担对多个国家的卫生系统构成威胁。由于在安提瓜和巴布达，诊断、治疗和管理这种癌症的成本未知，本研究旨在估算该国结直肠癌的直接医疗成本。我们采用基于患病率的疾病成本方法来研究2017年至2021年间被诊断为结直肠癌的患者数据。通过数据记录摘要确定五年患病率，并采用自上而下和自下而上的方法估算结直肠癌护理各组成部分的直接医疗成本。所有成本均按2021年价格水平计算，并以美元报告。结直肠癌的年度直接医疗总成本估计为114万美元（介于85万美元和142万美元之间）。主要成本驱动因素是治疗（613,650.01美元）和治疗后副作用护理（402,234.50美元）。总体估计直接医疗单位成本为139,295.58美元，主要驱动因素是手术（43,467.10美元）、其他治疗并发症（28,469.21美元）和免疫疗法（19,200.00美元）。本研究提供了安提瓜和巴布达结直肠癌经济负担的证据。年度直接医疗成本的估计数额巨大。我们的研究结果有助于制定卫生政策，并有助于与当地结直肠癌管理相关的资源分配。
