title: The Hospitalization Costs of Diabetes and Hypertension Complications in Zimbabwe: Estimations and Correlations.
abstract: Objective. Treating complications associated with diabetes and hypertension imposes significant costs on health care systems. This study estimated the hospitalization costs for inpatients in a public hospital in Zimbabwe. Methods. The study was retrospective and utilized secondary data from medical records. Total hospitalization costs were estimated using generalized linear models. Results. The median cost and interquartile range (IQR) for patients with diabetes, $994 (385-1553) mean $1319 (95% CI: 981-1657), was higher than patients with hypertension, $759 (494-1147) mean $914 (95% CI: 825-1003). Female patients aged below 65 years with diabetes had the highest estimated mean costs ($1467 (95% CI: 1177-1828)). Wound care had the highest estimated mean cost of all procedures, $2884 (95% CI: 2004-4149) for patients with diabetes and $2239 (95% CI: 1589-3156) for patients with hypertension. Age below 65 years, medical procedures (amputation, wound care, dialysis, and physiotherapy), the presence of two or more comorbidities, and being prescribed two or more drugs were associated with significantly higher hospitalization costs. Conclusion. Our estimated costs could be used to evaluate and improve current inpatient treatment and management of patients with diabetes and hypertension and determine the most cost-effective interventions to prevent complications and comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: Mutsa P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mutowo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Paula K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lorgelly
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH), German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laxy
authors.affiliation: School of Social Science and Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Andre M N
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6844-0833
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Renzaho
authors.affiliation: Zimbabwe Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1797, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mangwiro
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: Alice J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015030:Zimbabwe