The Asthma Cost in Oman
Objectives: This study evaluates the direct costs of treating asthma in Oman. Methods: Asthma prevalence and unit cost estimates were based on results from a panel using the Delphi technique, and were applied to the total Omani population aged 5 and older to obtain the number of people diagnosed wit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sultan Qaboos University
2013-05-01
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| Series: | Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1751 |
| _version_ | 1818472388757553152 |
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| author | Nasser H. Al-Busaidi Zulfikar Habibullah Joan B. Soriano |
| author_facet | Nasser H. Al-Busaidi Zulfikar Habibullah Joan B. Soriano |
| author_sort | Nasser H. Al-Busaidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: This study evaluates the direct costs of treating asthma in Oman. Methods: Asthma prevalence and unit cost estimates were based on results from a panel using the Delphi technique, and were applied to the total Omani population aged 5 and older to obtain the number of people diagnosed with asthma. The estimates from the Delphi exercise were multiplied by the percentage of patients using government facilities to estimate the number of asthma patients managed in Oman. Treatment costs were also calculated using data from the Delphi exercise and the Asthma Insights and Reality for the Gulf and Near East study (reported in Omani riyals [OMR] and US dollars [USD]). Results: The prevalence of asthma was estimated to be 7.3% of adults (n = 96,470) and 12.7% of children (n = 58,344). Of these, 95% of both adults and children were estimated to be using government healthcare facilities. Inpatient visits accounted for the largest proportion of total direct costs (55%), followed by emergency room and outpatient visits (25% and 20%, respectively) and medications (<0.2%). The annual cost of treatment excluding medications, was OMR 34,273,696 (USD 89,111,609) for adults and OMR 27,014,735 (USD 70,238,311) for children. Including medications, the total annual direct cost of asthma treatment was estimated to be over OMR 61,500,294 (USD 159,900,761). Conclusion: Given the high medical expenditures associated with facility visits relative to the lower medication costs, the focus of Oman’s asthma cost savings should be on improving asthma control rather than reducing medication costs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:07:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0871e8e327e84e6a979b359e6b88a468 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-051X 2075-0528 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:07:59Z |
| publishDate | 2013-05-01 |
| publisher | Sultan Qaboos University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-0871e8e327e84e6a979b359e6b88a4682022-12-22T02:13:19ZengSultan Qaboos UniversitySultan Qaboos University Medical Journal2075-051X2075-05282013-05-011322182231675The Asthma Cost in OmanNasser H. Al-Busaidi0Zulfikar Habibullah1Joan B. Soriano2Departments of Chest Medicine, Royal Hospital, Muscat, OmanDepartments of Medicine; Royal Hospital, Muscat, OmanDepartments of Epidemiology & Clinical Research; Royal Hospital, Muscat, OmanObjectives: This study evaluates the direct costs of treating asthma in Oman. Methods: Asthma prevalence and unit cost estimates were based on results from a panel using the Delphi technique, and were applied to the total Omani population aged 5 and older to obtain the number of people diagnosed with asthma. The estimates from the Delphi exercise were multiplied by the percentage of patients using government facilities to estimate the number of asthma patients managed in Oman. Treatment costs were also calculated using data from the Delphi exercise and the Asthma Insights and Reality for the Gulf and Near East study (reported in Omani riyals [OMR] and US dollars [USD]). Results: The prevalence of asthma was estimated to be 7.3% of adults (n = 96,470) and 12.7% of children (n = 58,344). Of these, 95% of both adults and children were estimated to be using government healthcare facilities. Inpatient visits accounted for the largest proportion of total direct costs (55%), followed by emergency room and outpatient visits (25% and 20%, respectively) and medications (<0.2%). The annual cost of treatment excluding medications, was OMR 34,273,696 (USD 89,111,609) for adults and OMR 27,014,735 (USD 70,238,311) for children. Including medications, the total annual direct cost of asthma treatment was estimated to be over OMR 61,500,294 (USD 159,900,761). Conclusion: Given the high medical expenditures associated with facility visits relative to the lower medication costs, the focus of Oman’s asthma cost savings should be on improving asthma control rather than reducing medication costs.https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1751asthmacost of asthmaasthma medicationseconomyhealth service utilizationoman. |
| spellingShingle | Nasser H. Al-Busaidi Zulfikar Habibullah Joan B. Soriano The Asthma Cost in Oman Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal asthma cost of asthma asthma medications economy health service utilization oman. |
| title | The Asthma Cost in Oman |
| title_full | The Asthma Cost in Oman |
| title_fullStr | The Asthma Cost in Oman |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Asthma Cost in Oman |
| title_short | The Asthma Cost in Oman |
| title_sort | asthma cost in oman |
| topic | asthma cost of asthma asthma medications economy health service utilization oman. |
| url | https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1751 |
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