title: Rotavirus vaccination in northeast Brazil: a laudable intervention, but can it lead to cost-savings?
abstract: This study assessed the family and heath system's costs due to diarrhoea in children <2 years old, before/after the introduction of a rotavirus vaccine in Brazil in 2006. Information on diarrhoea health care costs and morbidity were obtained from the primary health care system, the National Public Health database (2004-2008) and care-givers. Diarrhoea ambulatory consultations and hospitalizations had a declining trend during the entire period, with additional steeper reductions after vaccine introduction. The vaccine thus is associated with reduced diarrhoea consultations and hospitalization costs and families' out-of-pocket expenses. Despite these gains, the overall health system's costs have increased.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Department, University of Pisa, Via Di Pratale 18/A, 56127 Pisa, Italy. c.centenari@tin.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Centenari
authors.forename: Ricardo Q
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Gurgel
authors.forename: Anna Klara
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bohland
authors.forename: Débora M P
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Faragher
authors.forename: Luis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cuevas
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines