title: Cost-of-illness studies.
abstract: Cost-of-illness studies measure the overall economic impact of a disease on society. Such studies are important in setting public health priorities and for economic evaluation of new treatments. These studies should take the societal perspective and include both direct and indirect costs. Often indirect costs exceed direct costs. Comparison of cost-of-illness studies from different countries is difficult because of differences in population, currency, the way health care is provided, and other social and political factors.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Pain Management Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics Research Center, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, USA. goderda@pharm.utah.edu
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Oderda
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States