Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus, like many other chronic diseases, is costly to manage and poses a substantial economic burden on individuals directly and indirectly. In this paper, we studied the associations between cost of diabetes and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods This was a c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: John Azaare, Andrew Mpagwuni Ziblim, Emmanuel Akolgo Abanga, Daudi Yeboah, Abdulai Abubakari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12667-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850184102754385920
author John Azaare
Andrew Mpagwuni Ziblim
Emmanuel Akolgo Abanga
Daudi Yeboah
Abdulai Abubakari
author_facet John Azaare
Andrew Mpagwuni Ziblim
Emmanuel Akolgo Abanga
Daudi Yeboah
Abdulai Abubakari
author_sort John Azaare
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus, like many other chronic diseases, is costly to manage and poses a substantial economic burden on individuals directly and indirectly. In this paper, we studied the associations between cost of diabetes and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods This was a cross-sectional cost-of-illness study that employed systematic random sampling. We collected data from 385 respondents at the Tamale Teaching Hospital of Ghana between June and August of 2023. Prevalence-based costing and the human capital approach were employed to arrive at total cost of illness. Regression analysis was used to find associations between sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and the total cost of illness. Results The mean total cost of diabetes mellitus per year is $290.44. Mean direct annual cost of illness per year is $159.70 representing 54.99% of the total cost while the mean indirect annual cost per patient is $130.72. Being male (B = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02–0.82; p = 0.039), living in an urban area (B = - 1.05 95% CI - 1.58 – - 0.53; p = 0.000), having a longer duration of illness (B = 0.04, 95% CI 0.003–0.07; p = 0.032), and having the complications of diabetic retinopathy (B = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02–0.82; p = 0.041) and stroke (B = 1.26, 95% CI 0.52–2.00; p = 0.001) were statistically significant in association with total cost of illness. Conclusions Various demographics with diabetes carry different dynamics in terms of cost burden. We recommend a tailored approach to care for individuals with diabetes mellitus and their families as a protection against catastrophic health care expenditure that could result from a high cost of illness.
format Article
id doaj-art-7b1422c8acb94ab3bbbf5697ad36696e
institution OA Journals
issn 1472-6963
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Health Services Research
spelling doaj-art-7b1422c8acb94ab3bbbf5697ad36696e2025-08-20T02:17:09ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-04-012511710.1186/s12913-025-12667-zCost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in GhanaJohn Azaare0Andrew Mpagwuni Ziblim1Emmanuel Akolgo Abanga2Daudi Yeboah3Abdulai Abubakari4Department of Health Services Policy Planning, Management and Economics, School of Public Health, University for Development StudiesDepartment of Health Services Policy Planning, Management and Economics, School of Public Health, University for Development StudiesDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Disease Control, School of Public Health, University for Development StudiesDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Disease Control, School of Public Health, University for Development StudiesDepartment of Global and International Health, School of Public Health, University for Development StudiesAbstract Background Diabetes mellitus, like many other chronic diseases, is costly to manage and poses a substantial economic burden on individuals directly and indirectly. In this paper, we studied the associations between cost of diabetes and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods This was a cross-sectional cost-of-illness study that employed systematic random sampling. We collected data from 385 respondents at the Tamale Teaching Hospital of Ghana between June and August of 2023. Prevalence-based costing and the human capital approach were employed to arrive at total cost of illness. Regression analysis was used to find associations between sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and the total cost of illness. Results The mean total cost of diabetes mellitus per year is $290.44. Mean direct annual cost of illness per year is $159.70 representing 54.99% of the total cost while the mean indirect annual cost per patient is $130.72. Being male (B = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02–0.82; p = 0.039), living in an urban area (B = - 1.05 95% CI - 1.58 – - 0.53; p = 0.000), having a longer duration of illness (B = 0.04, 95% CI 0.003–0.07; p = 0.032), and having the complications of diabetic retinopathy (B = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02–0.82; p = 0.041) and stroke (B = 1.26, 95% CI 0.52–2.00; p = 0.001) were statistically significant in association with total cost of illness. Conclusions Various demographics with diabetes carry different dynamics in terms of cost burden. We recommend a tailored approach to care for individuals with diabetes mellitus and their families as a protection against catastrophic health care expenditure that could result from a high cost of illness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12667-zDiabetes mellitusCost-of-illnessGhanaSociodemographic characteristicsCatastrophic healthcare expenditure
spellingShingle John Azaare
Andrew Mpagwuni Ziblim
Emmanuel Akolgo Abanga
Daudi Yeboah
Abdulai Abubakari
Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
BMC Health Services Research
Diabetes mellitus
Cost-of-illness
Ghana
Sociodemographic characteristics
Catastrophic healthcare expenditure
title Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
title_full Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
title_fullStr Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
title_short Cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors – an institutional cross-sectional study in Ghana
title_sort cost of diabetes mellitus and associated factors an institutional cross sectional study in ghana
topic Diabetes mellitus
Cost-of-illness
Ghana
Sociodemographic characteristics
Catastrophic healthcare expenditure
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12667-z
work_keys_str_mv AT johnazaare costofdiabetesmellitusandassociatedfactorsaninstitutionalcrosssectionalstudyinghana
AT andrewmpagwuniziblim costofdiabetesmellitusandassociatedfactorsaninstitutionalcrosssectionalstudyinghana
AT emmanuelakolgoabanga costofdiabetesmellitusandassociatedfactorsaninstitutionalcrosssectionalstudyinghana
AT daudiyeboah costofdiabetesmellitusandassociatedfactorsaninstitutionalcrosssectionalstudyinghana
AT abdulaiabubakari costofdiabetesmellitusandassociatedfactorsaninstitutionalcrosssectionalstudyinghana