SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES

Abstract

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are the most common pathologies of the modern society, yielding frequency only to diseases of respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Given the fact that they are occurred in a young, working-age population, as well as people in older age groups, the treatment of these patients consumed large financial resources, which results in a high socio-economic importance of rheumatic diseases in general. The article focuses on the prevalence of these forms of pathology in Russia and several foreign countries, material costs of the medical care of such patients (including direct, indirect and additional costs), the change of these ratios in connection with the increased longevity of the population, and the emergence of new high-tech methods of treatment, which led in some cases to a significant rise in the cost of medical services. There are discussed measures to optimize the treatment of these pathologies based on pharmaco-economic aspects.