The Brazilian policy of withholding treatment for ADHD is probably increasing health and social costs

Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria

Carlos R. Maia¹  Steffan F. Stella¹  Paulo Mattos¹  Guilherme V. Polanczyk¹  Carisi A. Polanczyk¹  Luis A. Rohde¹ 

关键词: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder;    social and political issues;    costs and cost analysis;    child psychiatry;    central nervous system stimulants;   

DOI  :  10.1590/1516-4446-2014-1378

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Objective: To estimate the economic consequences of the current Brazilian government policy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment and how much the country would save if treatment with immediate-release methylphenidate (MPH-IR), as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), was offered to patients with ADHD. Method: Based on conservative previous analyses, we assumed that 257,662 patients aged 5 to 19 years are not receiving ADHD treatment in Brazil. We estimated the direct costs and savings of treating and not treating ADHD on the basis of the following data: a) spending on ADHD patients directly attributable to grade retention and emergency department visits; and b) savings due to impact of ADHD treatment on these outcomes. Results: Considering outcomes for which data on the impact of MPH-IR treatment are available, Brazil is probably wasting approximately R$ 1.841 billion/year on the direct consequences of not treating ADHD in this age range alone. On the other hand, treating ADHD in accordance with WHO recommendations would save approximately R$ 1.163 billion/year. Conclusions: By increasing investments on MPH-IR treatment for ADHD to around R$ 377 million/year, the country would save approximately 3.1 times more than is currently spent on the consequences of not treating ADHD in patients aged 5 to 19 years.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC   
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