The Burden of Dengue and the Financial Cost to Colombia, 2010-2012.

Data on the burden of dengue and its economic costs can help guide health policy decisions. However, little reliable information is available for Colombia. We therefore calculated the burden of the disease, expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), for two scenarios: endemic years (average number of cases in non-epidemic years 2011 and 2012) and an epidemic year (2010, when the highest number of dengue cases was reported in the study period). We also estimated the total economic cost of the disease (U.S. dollars at the average exchange rate for 2012), including indirect costs to households derived from expenses such as preventing entry of mosquitos into the home and costs to government arising from direct, indirect, and prevention and monitoring activities, as well as the direct medical and non-medical costs. In the epidemic year 2010, 1,198.73 DALYs were lost per million inhabitants versus 83.88 in endemic years. The total financial cost of the disease in Colombia from a societal perspective was US$167.8 million for 2010, US$129.9 million for 2011, and US$131.7 million for 2012. The cost of mosquito prevention borne by households was a major cost driver (accounting for 46% of the overall cost in 2010, 62% in 2011, and 64% in 2012).

Costs of dengue to the health system and individuals in Colombia from 2010 to 2012.

Dengue fever (DF) is an important health issue in Colombia, but detailed information on economic costs to the healthcare system is lacking. Using information from official databases (2010-2012) and a face-to-face survey of 1,483 households with DF and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) patients, we estimated the average cost per case. In 2010, the mean direct medical costs to the healthcare system per case of ambulatory DF, hospitalized DF, and DHF (in Colombian pesos converted to US dollars using the average exchange rate for 2012) were $52.8, $235.8, and $1,512.2, respectively. The mean direct non-medical costs to patients were greater ($29.7, $46.7, and $62.6, respectively) than the mean household direct medical costs ($13.3, $34.8, and $57.3, respectively). The average direct medical cost to the healthcare system of a case of ambulatory DF in 2010 was 57% of that in 2011. Our results highlight the high economic burden of the disease and could be useful for assigning limited health resources.

Descripción del manejo de la información en la primera infancia en dieciséis municipios colombianos / Description of Information Management in Early Childhood in Sixteen Colombian Municipalities / Descriçã o do manuseio da informação na primeira infância em dezesseis municipios colombianos

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron identificar los temas de mayor interés, las principales necesidades de información y los aspectos o sugerencias para la construcción de un sistema de información sobre el cuidado de la salud de la población infantil en los municipios. Se realizaron siete talleres en siete municipios, con la participación de 71 representantes de 19 entidades relacionadas con el cuidado de la salud de la población infantil. Se encontró que la falta de articulación, unificación y consolidación de la información ocasiona que la toma de decisiones se realice a partir de resultados desactualizados, incompletos o inexistentes. Por tanto, en los territorios se necesita un espacio donde se presente un panorama completo de la población infantil, articulando las diferentes instituciones y consolidando periódicamente los temas de interés.

The objectives of this work were to identify the most important topics, the main information needs and the aspects or suggestions for the construction of an information system regarding health care of child population in the municipalities. We carried out seven workshops in seven municipalities, with the participation of 71 representatives from 19 entities related to the health care of child population. We found that the lack of coordination, unification and consolidation of information causes decision taking to be performed based on outdated, incomplete or non-existent results. So, territories need a space to show the complete picture of the child population, to coordinate the different institutions and periodically consolidate topics of interest.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram identificar os temas de maior interesse, as principais necessidades de informacao e os aspectos ou sugestoes para a construcao de um sistema de informacao sobre o cuidado da saúde da populacao infantil nos municipios. Realizaram-se sete oficinas em sete municipios, com a participacao de 71 representantes de 19 entidades relacionadas com o cuidado da saúde da populacao infantil. Encontrou-se que a falta de articulacao, unificacao e consolidacao da informacao ocasiona que a tomada de decisoes seja realizada a partir de resultados desatualizados, incompletos ou inexistentes. Por tanto, nos territórios é preciso um espaco onde apresentar um panorama completo da populacao infantil, articulando as diferentes instituicoes e consolidando periodicamente os temas de interesse.