Household Cost of Sickle Cell Disease Among Patients of Sickle Cell Clinic. Tema General Hospital, Greater Accra Region

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is progressively gaining the recognition that was once ignored despite its increasingly higher prevalence of 2-3 % in the World and Ghana. The high household cost of care associated with this chronic disorder leads to stress not only on people living with the disease but their households-parents, caretakers and families. The purpose of this study was to determine the household cost of sickle cell disease among patients of Sickle Cell Clinic (SCC) at Tema General Hospital in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Method: The study was a cross-sectional cost of illness study designed to quantitatively determine the direct, indirect and the intangible cost of 78 SCD patients who attended sickle cell clinic at Tema General Hospital over a period of 12 months. The household cost was the summations of direct and indirect cost incurred when SCD patients assesses healthcare. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the robustness of the results. Likert's scale was used to assess intangible cost of SCD. Composite intangible cost of SCD was estimated. Results: The mean age of the SCD population was 20 years. The total cost of SCD at sec estimated was GHS 97,615.20 with direct cost being 88% and indirect cost 12%. The mean monthly household cost of SCD was estimated at GHS 1,251.48 (SO 833.20). The total composite intangible cost indicates that low intangible cost accounted for 52% (41), moderate intangible cost 45% (35) and high intangible cost 3% (2). Functional loss in terms of intangible cost of SCD patients with episodes of pain was the highest (7.36) and stigmatization (3.19) the lowest. Conclusion: The household cost of SCD at the SCC is very high. There is the need to intensify education on SCD to bring the majority of SCD patients in the community to the clinic. This will help draw policy maker's attention for a complete and all-inclusive cost care plan (NHIS) for SCD patient to further reduce cost. As indirect cost minimizes, more SCD patients will attend clinic regularly and emotional sufferings associated with SCD will be under control.