title: [Cost analysis of hospital care for newborns at risk: comparison of an Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit and a Kangaroo Unit].
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the direct costs of implementation of the Kangaroo Method and an Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit, from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Newborns were eligible for inclusion if they were clinically stable and were able to receive care in those two modalities. A decision tree model was developed that incorporated baseline variables and costs into a hypothetical cohort of 1,000 newborns, according to the literature and expert opinions. Daily cost was BR$343.53 for the second stage of the Kangaroo Unit and BR$394.22 for the Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit. The total cost for the hypothetical cohort was BR$5,710,281.66 for the second and third stages of the Kangaroo Unit and R$7,119,865.61 for the Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit. The Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit cost 25% more than the Kangaroo Unit. The study can contribute to decision-making in health, in addition to providing support for studies related to economic evaluation in neonatal health.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. alineentringer@gmail.com
authors.forename: Aline Piovezan
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Entringer
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora de Sousa Mendes
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Rosângela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magluta
authors.forename: Zeni Carvalho
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Lamy
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000191:economics*; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method / Q000191:economics*