The societal economic impact of vision impairment in adults 40 years and above: findings from the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago.
Eye (Lond)
; 2023 Dec 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38066111
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Understanding and mitigating the societal economic impact of vision impairment (VI) is important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.AIM:
To estimate the prevalent societal economic impact of presenting VI in Trinidad and Tobago using bottom-up cost and utilisation data from the 2014 National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago.METHODS:
We took a societal perspective to combine comprehensive, individual-level cost and utilisation data, with population-based prevalence estimates for VI, and additional data from a contemporaneous national eyecare system survey. We included direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect (productivity loss) costs, and intangible losses in total cost estimates, presented in 2014 Trinidad & Tobago (TT) dollars and UK sterling equivalent. We considered but excluded transfer payments and dead weight losses. Sensitivity analyses explored impact on total cost of parameter uncertainty and assumptions.RESULTS:
Individual utilisation and cost data were available for 65.5% (n = 2792/4263) and 59.0% (n = 2516/4263) eligible participants aged ≥40 years, respectively. Participant mean age was 58.4(SD 11.8, range 40-103) years, 56.3% were female. We estimated total societal cost of VI in 2014 at UK£365,650,241 (TT$3,842,324,655), equivalent to £675 per capita (population ≥40 years). Loss of wellbeing accounted for 73.3%. Excluding this, the economic cost was UK£97,547,222 (TT$1,025,045,399), of which indirect costs accounted for 70.5%, followed by direct medical costs (17.9%), and direct non-medical costs (11.6%).CONCLUSION:
This study provides a comprehensive estimate of the economic impact of vision loss in a Caribbean country, and highlights the extent to which affected individuals and their families bear the societal economic cost of vision impairment.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
2_ODS3
Database:
MEDLINE
Country/Region as subject:
Caribe ingles
/
Trinidad y tobago
Language:
En
Journal:
Eye (Lond)
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article