Ranking dynamics of economic burden of infectious diseases as a criterion of effectiveness of epidemiologic control

Abstract

Purpose: rank-based assessment of the economic impact of infectious diseases in the Russian Federation for the further analysis of effectiveness of their prevention and for prioritization of preventive measures.Materials and Methods. The annual economic burden was eStimated by using inflation-adjusted standard economic costs of one case of infectious disease in the Russian Federation. The data on the number of cases were obtained from the official statistical reports (Forms 1, 2) for 2009-2019. The annual burden of the specific disease was estimated by multiplying the standard cost of 1 case by the number of cases registered within a given year. The economic costs were assessed and ranked.Results and discussion. In 2019, the greatest economic burden was exerted by acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, acute gastrointestinal infections, chickenpox, HIV infection (newly diagnosed cases and deaths in 2019). The economic burden of rotavirus infection was assessed and ranked for the first time. The ranking analysis of the economic costs in 2009-2019 showed the largest decrease in the economic burden of influenza, rubella, acute and chronic hepatitis B. At the same time, the economic burden of measles, pertussis, hemorrhagic fevers and tick-borne borreliosis demonstrated an upward trend. The possibility of using ranking dynamics of economic burden as a performance indicator of epidemiological control has been demonstrated. In response to limited public funding of healthcare, the offered method can be used in setting priorities in decision making in the field of epidemic control.