RESUMO
UNLABELLED: This study reports the direct costs related to osteoporosis and hip fractures paid for governmental and private institutions in the Mexican health system and estimates the impact of these entities on Mexico. We conclude that the economic burden due to the direct costs of hip fracture justifies wide-scale prevention programs for osteoporosis (OP). METHODS: To estimate the total direct costs of OP and hip fractures in the Mexican Health care system, a sample of governmental and private institutions were studied. Information was gathered through direct questionnaires in 275 OP patients and 218 hip fracture cases. Additionally, a chart review was conducted and experts' opinions obtained to get accurate protocol scenarios for diagnoses and treatment of OP with no fracture. Microcosting and activity-based costing techniques were used to yield unit costs. RESULTS: The total direct costs for OP and hip fracture were estimated for 2006 based on the projected annual incidence of hip fractures in Mexico. A total of 22,233 hip fracture cases were estimated for 2006 with a total cost to the healthcare system of US$ 97,058,159 for the acute treatment alone ($4,365.50 per case). We found considerable differences in costs and the way the patients were treated across the different health sectors within the country. CONCLUSION: Costs of the acute treatment of hip fractures in Mexico are high and are expected to increase with the predicted increment of life expectancy and the number of elderly in our population.
Assuntos
Custos de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Fraturas do Quadril/economia , Osteoporose/economia , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Custos de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Feminino , Fraturas do Quadril/etiologia , Fraturas do Quadril/terapia , Humanos , Masculino , México , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Osteoporose/complicações , Osteoporose/diagnóstico , Osteoporose/tratamento farmacológico , Osteoporose Pós-Menopausa/complicações , Osteoporose Pós-Menopausa/diagnóstico , Osteoporose Pós-Menopausa/tratamento farmacológico , Osteoporose Pós-Menopausa/economia , Setor Privado/economia , Medicina Estatal/economiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) in schoolchildren according to the 2 stage classification process proposed by the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Multicenter Criteria Committee on Fibromyalgia. METHODS: Stage 1: we administered a pain questionnaire to a sample of 548 schoolchildren (264 boys, 284 girls; mean age 11.9 yrs, range 9-15). Stage 2: two rheumatologists examined all children with diffuse pain. Using thumb palpation, they examined 18 fibromyalgia tender points and 3 pairs of controls points followed by dolorimetry. Additionally, a random sample of 79 children with no pain were selected as controls, following the same procedures (thumb palpation and dolorimetry). The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the distribution of tenderness thresholds between FM and non-FM groups. Kappa statistics for multiple raters was used to assess interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Seven children, all girls, fulfilled the ACR diagnostic criteria for FM. Thus, the prevalence of FM in this group of schoolchildren reached only 1.2%. The girls with FM had a mean of 14 tender points, whereas controls (n = 79) had 2.4. Pain thresholds were 3.4 kg in children with FM and 5.1 kg in controls (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of FM in our study was 5-fold lower than a previous report. This variance may be due to (1) racial and sociocultural differences between populations; and (2) differences in methodological approach. The difficulties of making accurate estimates of FM across different studies are highlighted.