Methodology for estimating total direct costs of comprehensive care for non-communicable diseases

Abstract

Diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT) generate high costs and are the most common cause of mortality in the Americas. In the case of Peru, given demographic and epidemiological changes, particularly the alarming increase in overweight and obesity, the burden of these diseases is constantly increasing, resulting in the need to budget more financial resources to the health services. The total care costs of these diseases and their complications represent a financial burden that should be considered very carefully by health institutions when they draft their budgets. With this aim, the Pan American Health Organization has assisted the Ministry of Health (MINSA) with a study to estimate these costs. This article graphically describes the methodology developed to estimate the direct costs of comprehensive care for DM and HT to the health services of MINSA and regional governments.