Open AccessImpact of noncommunicable diseases on direct medical costs and worker productivity, Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Jesse D. Malkin,
Eric A. Finkelstein,
Drishti Baid,
Ada Alqunaibet,
Sami Almudarra,
Christopher H. Herbst,
Di Dong,
Reem F. Alsukait,
Sameh El-Saharty,
Abdullah Algwizani
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/emhj.22.015
Subject(s) - productivity , workforce , gross domestic product , unit (ring theory) , indirect costs , medicine , environmental health , unit cost , business , economic growth , economics , mathematics education , mathematics , accounting , microeconomics
Background: The prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has been increasing in Saudi Arabia. Aim: Our objective was to estimate the effect of NCDs on direct medical costs and workforce productivity in Saudi Arabia. Methods: To estimate direct medical costs, we estimated the unit cost of treating 10 NCDs, then multiplied the unit cost by disease prevalence and summed across diseases. To estimate workforce productivity losses, we multiplied gross domestic product per person in the labour force by the loss in productivity from each NCD and the prevalence in the labour force of each NCD. Results: We estimated annual direct medical costs of 11.8 billion international dollars (Int$) for the 10 NCDs assessed (13.6% of total annual health expenditure). We estimated workforce productivity losses of Int$ 75.7 billion (4.5% of gross domestic product). Conclusion: The economic burden of NCDs in Saudi Arabia – particularly the effect on worker productivity – is substantial.