Costs attributable to AIDS at household level in Chad

Abstract

This paper assesses the economic costs of AIDS at the household level in Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world. One hundred and ninety-three AIDS patients living in four different regions were found by case identification at hospital level and through community based organizations providing psycho-social relief. They were matched by age, sex, professional category and zone of residence with controls. Costs were evaluated through a standard questionnaire. Costs at household level attributable to AIDS up to death were US$836 per case. Costs related to productivity losses made up 28% of total costs. More than half of total costs (56%) were health care related expenditures and funeral costs contributed 16%. AIDS cases relied more often on borrowing and the selling of household assets than controls for treatment. Household expenditures of AIDS cases were much higher than control households mainly due to health related expenditure. The response of concerned families to HIV/AIDS implies high costs and for most households, especially in low-income settings, the consequences of AIDS are devastating. Innovative strategies on how best to assist households are thus requested and may include the strengthening of care and treatment services being offered to AIDS cases.

Health expenditure and catastrophic spending among older adults living with HIV

“…Households with an AIDS-affected member in Chad used nearly half of the budget for health care (46%) (Wyss, Hutton, & N'Diekhor, 2004). Studies conducted outside the African region report average costs of HIV treatment range from 49% to 81% of total household income in India to HIV-related health-care costing as much as 96% of monthly household expenditure in Indonesia (Kumarasamy et al, 2007;Riyarto et al, 2010).…”

Effect of an armed conflict on human resources and health systems in Côte d'Ivoire: Prevention of and care for people with HIV/AIDS

“…In view of the rapid spread of HIV infections in other regions of the world, notably in East Asia and Eastern Europe, the HIV/AIDS epidemic will continue to have profound demographic, economic, governance and social implications for generations to come (Piot et al , 2001;de Waal, 2003;UNAIDS, 2004). The HIV/AIDS epidemic drains the social and economic development of affected countries as a result of undermined household capacity and stability, reduced labour supply and productivity efficiency, shortage of critical skills and decline of institutional functioning (Mock et al , 2004;Wyss et al , 2004). Recent estimates suggest that the epidemic has reduced average growth rates across Africa by 2Á/4% annually over the past several years (Dixon et al, 2002).…”

El VIH y las ramificaciones para la seguridad alimentaria y la salud infantil en comunidades afectadas

“…En un trabajo publicado, realizado en Chad en 2004, se menciona que los gastos a nivel doméstico atribuibles al SIDA -hasta el momento de la muerte -eran de USD 836 por caso [72] . Los gastos relacionados con las pérdidas de productividad representan el 28% de los costos totales.…”