Economic burden while living with endometriosis.

Costs of endometriosis

Key Points

Highlights:

• Endometriosis affects physical and mental health and causes economic burdens for patients.

Importance:

• The study reviews the life-long cost of this chronic disease.

What's done here:                                       

• A PubMed, Econlit (economic studies data), and the Cochrane Library search including the terms ‘endometriosis’ AND ‘costs’ OR ‘cost of illness’ OR ‘cost analysis’ OR ‘economic burden’ was done.
• Only studies published between January 2000 and May 2022 have been counted in.
• Total costs, primary and secondary care costs, productivity losses, and indirect costs were analyzed.

Key Results:

• Thirty-two studies met the criteria and all cost equivalence in 2022 "US$" was stated for the explanations.
• Direct costs have been evaluated in 17 countries in Europe and North America.
• The direct costs ranged from $1459 to 20,239 per patient per year changing from region to region.
• A 5-year diagnostic delay was found to be causing a minimum of  $20,000 of extra direct cost.
• The indirect costs were calculated by productivity losses considering the cost of presenteeism, when employees are at work but not working, and absenteeism, consisting of unscheduled absence.
• Indirect costs of endometriosis were between $4572 and 14,079.

Limitations:

• The review reveals the economic burden of patients but as the analyzed studies are from developed countries more research is required to talk about the worldwide burden of the disease.

Lay Summary

Endometriosis is a debilitating disease when all the symptoms are considered. Besides mental and physical effects, the economic burden is also a problem for the patients.

In the study conducted by Josep Darbà et al, the costs of endometriosis have been reviewed by analyzing studies published in the last few years. A PubMed, Econlit (economic studies database), and the Cochrane Library search including the terms ‘endometriosis’ and ‘costs’, OR ‘cost of illness’ or‘ cost analysis’ or ‘economic burden’ was performed. Only studies published between 2000 and May 2022 have been evaluated. Total costs, primary and secondary care costs, productivity losses, and indirect costs were analyzed.

Thirty-two studies met the criteria and all cost equivalence in "2022 US$" was stated for the explanations.

Direct costs have been evaluated in 17 countries in Europe and North America. The direct medical price ranged from $1459 to $20,239 per patient per year changing from region to region. A five-year diagnostic delay was found to be causing a minimum of $20,000 of extra direct cost.

The indirect costs were calculated by productivity losses considering the cost of presenteeism the time when employees are at work but not working, and absenteeism, consisting of unscheduled absences. Indirect costs of endometriosis were between $4572 and $14,079. While the review is a good example, future studies from all over the world and from different health policies are required.

The article was published in the December 2022 issue of the journal named "Pharmacoeconomics".

Research Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36344867/