The Study On Disease Burden Of Cystic Echinococcosis In The South Central Areas Of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

BackgroundNingxia Hui Autonomous Region(NHAR) is one of the echinococcosis epidemic areas with different degree of cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), especially in the south central part of mountainous and the platform areas. Due to the impact of weather and transpontation, the deveolpment of economy is relatively slow in these areas. Additionally the course of echinococcosis is generally longer. So not only quality of pateint's life is affected but also heavy disease burden is brought to the patients'family and the society. Current domestic researches on the burden of echinococcosis is focusing on the morbidity and mortality, usually the research on economic burden of the patients'group and family is relatively rare.Therefore, this study is to analyze the disease burden of cystic echinococcosis preliminarily in the south central areas in Ningxia in order to provide a basis for decision-making on reasonably allocate and use the health resources.ObjectiveThe purpose of this research is to describe the economic loss and the influence on patients'quality of life as well as the impact of burden on the family caused by echinococcosis via surveys on the CE patients and their family in the south central areas of NHAR in order to find a way to reduce the burden caused by echinococcosis and to provide a basis on improving social and economic benefits of health investment.MethodsThe survey subjects were CE patients chosen from in Tongxin, Haiyuan, Xiji, Yanchi, Yuanzhou district. According to the infomation offered by local CDC, the survey was conducted by follow-up all the patients treated through surgery from January to November in 2008, and randomly survey outpatients with questionnaire. Total valid questionnaires was 160 with 92.5% of efficiency. Data analysing was performed by SPSS 13.0 statistical package after sorting, inputing and proofreading.Results1. the per capita economic burden of 42 inpatients isï¿¥10842.18 and that of 118 outpatients isï¿¥1318.13.2. In the economic burden of inpatients, cost of hospitalization is 64.82%, labor loss is 15.97%. Drug expenses are 42.39%, which are the main factors of the hospitalization expense accounts. In the economic burden of the outpatients, labor loss ranks first (43.32%).3. Concerning about the influence of echinococcosis on the quality of life, self-care ability of 86.87% of patients are unaffected. As more as 76.88% of patients think that the labor ability has been affected,78.75% of patients' mood has been affected in some extent.4. Echinococcosis patients have been influenced at different level in family income, daily activities of family members, family leisure activities and the relationship between family members, which are 82.50%,61.88%,42.50% and 47.50% respectively. Conclusion1. The economic burden of cystic echinococcosis is brought to the patients' family, such as the cost of hospitalization, cost of clinic, Drug expenses, labor loss and so on. Hospitalization expenses in the economic burden of inpatients and labor loss in the economic burden of the outpatients rank first.2. Echinococcosis patients have been influenced at different level in self-care ability, labor ability, mood, family income, daily activities of family members, family leisure activities and the relationship between family members.