Types of costs
In cost-of-illness studies a distinction is made between direct, indirect and intangible
costs. Intangible costs are the value of improved health per se, or the pain and suffering
associated with treatment. As these consequences are difficult to measure and value,
cost-of-illness studies are usually defined to quantify the costs that are monetarily
measurable. Therefore, only direct costs and indirect costs will be estimated in this
study (Drummond et al., 2005).
There are however reasons to believe that intangible costs are of great importance
when it comes to musculoskeletal disorders. MSDs are chronic diseases, meaning that
patients are suffering from pain for long periods, usually during the remaining time of
life. Consequently, intangible costs would be high. At the same time, successful
biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis have been documented to increase patients’
quality of life (Kobelt et al., 2004). This would on the other hand lead to lower
intangible costs.
Direct costs are defined as the actual money expenditures related to an illness or
disorder. These costs include resource use in the health care sector and other sectors
such as community care. They also include consumption of pharmaceuticals and
patient’s out-of-pocket expenses (Drummond et al., 2005).
In contrast, indirect costs include costs related to lost output caused by illness,
disability or injury (Drummond et al., 2005). In this cost-of-illness study, productivity
costs due to both sickness and premature death will be included. Since MSDs are
characterized with pain and loss of mobility, indirect costs are expected to be a major
expenditure sector
Types of costsIn cost-of-illness studies a distinction is made between direct, indirect and intangiblecosts. Intangible costs are the value of improved health per se, or the pain and sufferingassociated with treatment. As these consequences are difficult to measure and value,cost-of-illness studies are usually defined to quantify the costs that are monetarilymeasurable. Therefore, only direct costs and indirect costs will be estimated in thisstudy (Drummond et al., 2005).There are however reasons to believe that intangible costs are of great importancewhen it comes to musculoskeletal disorders. MSDs are chronic diseases, meaning thatpatients are suffering from pain for long periods, usually during the remaining time oflife. Consequently, intangible costs would be high. At the same time, successfulbiologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis have been documented to increase patients’quality of life (Kobelt et al., 2004). This would on the other hand lead to lowerintangible costs.Direct costs are defined as the actual money expenditures related to an illness ordisorder. These costs include resource use in the health care sector and other sectorssuch as community care. They also include consumption of pharmaceuticals andpatient’s out-of-pocket expenses (Drummond et al., 2005).In contrast, indirect costs include costs related to lost output caused by illness,disability or injury (Drummond et al., 2005). In this cost-of-illness study, productivityค่าใช้จ่ายเนื่องจากการเจ็บป่วยและตายก่อนวัยอันควรจะรวมอยู่ด้วย ตั้งแต่มี MSDsโดดเด่น ด้วยความเจ็บปวดและสูญเสียการเคลื่อนไหว ต้นทุนทางอ้อมคาดว่าจะยังมีความสำคัญรายจ่ายภาค
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
