title: The cost of universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Ireland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the costs associated with universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bottom-up, prevalence-based cost analysis. Healthcare activity identified using the Atlantic Diabetes in Pregnancy (ATLANTIC DIP) database was grouped into five categories: screening and testing, gestational diabetes treatment, prenatal care, delivery care and neonatal care. A vector of unit cost data (euros in 2008 prices) was applied to specified resource use and the total healthcare cost calculated. A series of one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken to explore the uncertainty in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When individual resource components were valued and aggregated, the total healthcare cost of gestational diabetes in Ireland was estimated at €12 433 320 (95% CI €9 298 228-16 778 193). The average cost per case detected was €1621 (95% CI €524-2603) and the average total cost per case detected and treated was €11 903 (95% CI €7645-16 121).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research provides the first estimates of the healthcare costs associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in Ireland. Further research is required to determine the cost-effectiveness of gestational diabetes screening in the region with a view to improving resource allocation in this area in the future.
authors.affiliation: School of Business and Economics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. paddy.gillespie@nuigalway.ie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avalos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dunne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics*; D018803:Models, Economic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000191:economics*; D011336:Probability