Abstract:
The global diabetes epidemic has devastating human, social and economic effects. The
largest costs of diabetes world wide are its divesting effects on families and national
economics. Study of the pattern of morbidity of diabetes and the economic burden created
by it on households and health care system is useful in health planning. A descriptive crosssectional study was conducted in the Endocrinology clinic unit of the General Hospital
Kandy, to determine the pattern of morbidity of diabetes and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the patients and to estimate the economic burden of these
diseases on the households and the health system. The study sample was selected using
stratified systematic sampling method. Data were collected using a pre- tested interviewer
administered structured questionnaire and a check-list. Estimation of both direct and indirect
components of the household costs of hospital diabetic clinic attendance was done. Hospital
costs of a patient were estimated in diabetic clinic unit and both direct and indirect costs
were taken into account. About 72 percent of the patients were in the age group of 20 to 60
years and 70 percent were females. Age distribution was symmetrical and mean age was
55.96 (SD=10.84). More than 63 percent of the patients were in the lower socio economic
level. Diseases of the circulatory system were the commonest associated morbidity and it
was about 89 percent of total associated morbidities. Mean household cost of diabetic clinic
patient was Rs.404.54 (SD=2836.70). Indirect costs comprised about 72 percent of the total
household cost. Cost due to lost income contributed to 92 percent of the indirect costs.
About 67 percent of direct household cost was incurred for pharmaceuticals and laboratory
investigations. There was a significant inverse difference in total household cost between
levels of education ( t=2.43, p0.016). Alcoholism and smoking also showed a significant
association between the mean household costs ( for alcoholism p=0.001,t=5, 46 and for
smoking p=0.001, t=5.91)
