Economic costs of outbreaks of acute viral gastroenteritis due to norovirus in Catalonia (Spain), 2010–2011

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Sonia Broner¹  Rosa Bartolomé²  Encarna Navas³  Ana Martínez³  Pere Godoy⁴  Nuria Torner⁵  Angela Domínguez⁶ 

[1] CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;Microbiology Department, Hospital Vall d’Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain;Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain;Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain;CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain;Public Health Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;Public Health Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;

关键词: Indirect Cost;    Direct Cost;    Medical Visit;    Laboratory Diagnosis;    Public Health Agency;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-2289-x

 received in 2014-12-30, accepted in 2015-09-15,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundTo determine the direct and indirect costs of outbreaks of acute viral gastroenteritis (AVG) due to norovirus in closed institutions (hospitals, social health centers or nursing homes) and the community in Catalonia in 2010–11.MethodsInformation on outbreaks were gathered from the reports made by epidemiological surveillance units. Direct costs (medical visits, hospital stays, drug treatment, sample processing, transport, diagnostic tests, monitoring and control of the outbreaks investigated) and indirect costs (lost productivity due to work absenteeism, caregivers time and working hours lost due to medical visits) were calculated.ResultsTwenty-seven outbreaks affecting 816 people in closed institutions and 74 outbreaks affecting 1,940 people in the community were detected. The direct and indirect costs of outbreaks were € 131,997.36 (€ 4,888.79 per outbreak) in closed institutions and € 260,557.16 (€ 3,521.04 per outbreak) in community outbreaks. The cost per case was € 161.76 in outbreaks in closed institutions and € 134.31 in community outbreaks. The main costs were surveillance unit monitoring (€ 116,652.93), laboratory diagnoses (€ 119,950.95), transport of samples (€ 69,970.90), medical visits (€ 25,250.50) and hospitalization (€ 13,400.00).ConclusionsThe cost of outbreaks of acute viral gastroenteritis due to norovirus obtained in this study was influenced by the number of people affected and the severity of the outbreak, which determined hospitalizations and work absenteeism. Urgent reporting of outbreaks would allow the implementation of control measures that could reduce the numbers affected and the duration of the illness and thus the costs derived from them.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Navas et al. 2015