Melkamu Tiruneh, Atnasiya Yilma Abay, Solomon Assefa Huluka
Objective: The global economic burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) is remarkable and hindered global economic development. Ethiopia is among the nations that faced a double burden of DM. Hence, this study aimed to assess economic burden of DM and its associated factors among patients on follow up at public regional hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, using an institution based cross-sectional study.
Result: Among the 385 respondents (94.4% response rate) enrolled in the study, 197 (51.12%) of them were females. More than three-quarter (77.1%) of the study participants were diagnosed with Type 2 DM. Majority of the participants (291; 75.6%) self-financed their expenses for the management of DM. Average total monthly cost of DM was found to be 1035.82 Birr per patient per month. Moreover, the mean cost of study participant for laboratory test and single purchasing of insulin, insulin syringe as well as oral antidiabetic agents were 56.34 (±90.68), 325.26 (±229.06), 86.90(±81.24) and 437.69 (±278.69) Birr per patient per month, respectively. Regression analysis study indicated that there is a significant (p < 0.05) association between cost of DM and variables such as education, income, admission, distance from the health facility, emergency visit as well as number of drugs prescribed.
Conclusion: This study showed that DM imposes a high out of pocket cost expenditure on patients and their families.