[The cost of tobacco-related diseases for Brazil's Unified National Health System].
This study aimed to identify the direct costs of hospitalizations due to three smoking-related groups of diseases - cancer and circulatory and respiratory diseases - in Brazil's Unified National Health System (SUS) in 2005. For cancer, the cost of chemotherapy was also included. The study derived cost estimates using administrative databases, relative risks, smoking prevalence, and smoking-attributable fraction. According to the estimates, smoking- attributable medical expenditures for the three disease groups amounted to R$338,692,516.02 (approximately U$185 million), accounting for 27.6% of total medical expenditures. Considering all hospitalizations and chemotherapy provided by the National Health System, tobacco-related diseases accounted for 7.7% of total medical expenditures. These costs also represented 0.9% of expenditures by federally funded public health services. This study provides a conservative estimate of smoking-related costs and suggests the need for continued research on comprehensive approaches to measure the total burden of smoking for society.
Pinto
Márcia
M
Instituto Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. mpinto@iff.fiocruz.br
Ugá
Maria Alicia Domínguez
MA
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics*