Table 1 Cost categories and methods of data collection in Tigray Region, Ethiopia.
Funding sources | Cost data and cost categories | Cost estimation | Sources of data |
|---|---|---|---|
Patients | Indirect cost | ||
Income lost for the time lost from work during consultations at various care providers. | Income lost for days way from work were estimated at local labour cost of $0.88 per day (unemployed patients) or using daily rates derived from their monthly income. | Patient interview | |
Income lost for time lost from work travelling for consultations from home to public health facilities. | Income lost for travel time was estimated at labour cost of $0.11 per hour (for unemployed patients) or using hourly rates derived from their monthly incomes (for employed patients). | Patient interview | |
Direct cost | |||
Transport cost | Money spent for transport (number of round trips) from home to care providers was compiled. | Patient interview | |
Lodging cost | Money spent for food and accommodations for days way from home for consultation were compiled from patient interview. | Patient interview | |
Cost of other drugs | Costs of drugs incurred to patients were compiled from the number of prescriptions given to patients and their unit price. Costs incurred in alternative care providers were inquired from patients. | Medical record/patient interview | |
Consultations cost | Costs of consultations made in public health facilities were calculated at a cost of $ 0.5 per visit while expenditures at alternative care providers were inquired from patients. | Medical record/patient interview | |
Investigation cost. | Costs were compiled from the number of investigation carried our and their unit price. | Medical record | |
Cost of hospital admissions | Hospital admission costs were collected for days of admissions at a cost of $ 3.2 per day | Medical record | |
Escorts | Direct cost | ||
Lodging cost | Expenditures for food and accommodation for numbers of days of stay accompanying patients during consultations were inquired. | Patient interview | |
Transport cost | Transport cost was compiled for round trips made from home to care providers. | Patient interview | |
Indirect cost | |||
Income lost for time lost from work travelling with patients from home to public health facilities. | Income lost for hours of travel to public health facilities were estimated at local labour cost ($0.11 per hour for unemployed escorts) and hourly rates derived from their monthly incomes for those who were employed or had regular monthly income. | Patient interview | |
Income lost for the time spent accompanying patients during consultations at alternative providers and public health providers. | For unemployed escorts, income lost for number days way from work were estimated using local labour cost of $0.88 per day. Income lost for employed escorts were estimated using rates derived from their monthly income. | Patient interviews | |
Public health system | Direct costs | ||
Cost of other drugs prescribed to patients for free. | Costs of other drugs were compiled from the number of prescriptions given to patients and their unit price. | Medical record | |
Cost of investigations at no cost to patients. | Costs were computed from the number of investigation carried out and their unit price | Medical record | |
Cost of hospital admissions at no cost to patients. | Hospital admission costs were computed for days of admission at a cost of $ 3.2 per day | Medical record | |
Consultations cost at no cost to patients. | Costs were computed for the number of consultations made in public health facilities at a cost of $ 0.5 per consultation. | Medical record |