title: [Socio-economic costs of mental health in the Canary Islands, Spain, in 2002].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the economic impact in terms of direct and indirect costs of the mental health in Canary Islands (Spain) in 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cost-of-illness method was used. Direct and indirect costs were estimated using prevalence cost, i.e., the costs produced in 2002. The human capital theory approach has been used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Canary Islands, Spain, including primary health care and inpatient care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mental health patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct health costs (inpatients, ambulatory care, primary health care, and drugs). Indirect costs (premature death, short-term illness, and permanent disability).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total costs of mental health were 189.59 million euros. The direct health costs were 81.67 million euros, constituting 43% of the total costs and 5.2% of the total public health care budget in this region. The indirect costs of mental health were 107.92 million euros, representing 57% of the total costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this study adopts a conservative approach, the high socio-economic cost of the mental health helps us to define better the dimension of the problem to establish priorities besides opening a way towards cost-effectiveness studies that allow a more transparent debate on this topic.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Evaluación y Planificación, Servicio Canario de Salud, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. jlopbas@goviernodecanarias.org
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López-Bastida
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serrano-Aguilar
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duque-González
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001266:Atlantic Islands; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain