[Costs estimation of tuberculosis cases detection. La Habana Vieja Municipality, Cuba. 2002].
BACKGROUND
The Cuban Tuberculosis Control Program has been able to significantly reduce the tuberculosis cases incidence in all its forms. La Habana Vieja municipality has maintained the highest incidence in Havana City province during 5 years and one of the highest in the country.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate the cost of Tuberculosis cases detection in Habana Vieja municipality, in the year 2002.


METHODS
A descriptive retrospective study to estimate the costs with social perspective was carried out. The costs of cases detection and their departures in health facilities were considered. For patients with cough/expectoration > or =14 days (RS+14) the pocket expense and monetary losses for labour absences were considered. Costs were expressed in equivalent Cuban pesos to American dollars (1 CUC = 1 USD). Information from official records in health institutions and from interviews to workers and RS+14 was obtained.


RESULTS
Social cost of tuberculosis cases detection for an RS+14 was in average 24,11 CUC, and institutional cost was 12,55; for clinical investigation 0.37; for sputum smear microscopy 2,25; for culture 7,05; for thorax X-ray 1,67; for notification 3,07; and for registering 0,36.


CONCLUSIONS
The biggest costs were observed in sputum smear microscopies and cultures performance; salaries and reagents were the issues contributing more in that cost. The results obtained in this study could be extrapolated to other municipalities in the country with social and economic conditions similar to La Habana Vieja.
Peralta Pérez
Mariana
M
Grupo Provincial de Control de la Tuberculosis, Ciudad de la Habana.
Gálvez González
Ana M
AM
González Ochoa
Edilberto
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003462:Cuba; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics*