Expenditure incurred was 17 to 62 times of India’s monthly per capita income
Recently, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital conducted an observational study on 209 patients of H1N1 influenza admitted at SGRH from 1st January 2015 to 31st March 2015.
According to Dr Atul Kakar, author of the study and Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, “The recent outbreak of H1N1 affected healthy adults besides patients with high risk factors thus causing panic among large sections of the population.It led to substantial health burden and had huge implications ranging from closure of schools to low productivity. Due to lack of any model to access its economic impact , it has been least understood. This led us to undertake this study to gauge H1N1’s economic impact on common man.”
According to Dr Atul Gogia, co-author of the study and consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, “All patients included in the study were confirmed cases of H1N1 diagnosed by RT-PCR and were in the category 2b and above needing hospitalisation. Total hospital expenditure data was collected after discharge and duration of hospital stay and onset of illness till presentation to the hospital were also recorded. The H1N1 status of all patients were confirmed by RT-PCR test as well as in a government accredited laboratory.”
The study found that out of 209 patients, 54.3 per cent were more than 40 years of age and 46 per cent were female patients. A total of 52.9 per cent patients had one or more co-existing medical conditions. Hypertension was found in 23 per cent and diabetes in 22.5 per cent patients of H1N1.
Dr Gogia further added, “Our study found that minimum expenditure for admitted patients of H1N1 patient was Rs 10,004 and maximum was Rs 19,85,428. Mean expenditure in isolation ward was Rs 1,25,429, single isolated room was Rs 1,62,320 and in ICU it was Rs 4,57,447. The expenditure increased with increase in age. Hospital expenses in specially created Isolation Ward was much lower than Isolated Single Rooms.”
“Ours is the first report to give fair information regarding economic impact of H1N1 influenza. But, the actual economic burden of H1N1 could be much higher as the study could not take into account absenteeism from work or school, and decrease in production and tourism. Preventive measures with vaccination before the start of epidemic would help to drastically reduce the cost of hospitalisation and other socio-economic burden to the patient,” opined Dr Kakar.