Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cost of chronic diseases treatment and care at public hospitals in Wallaga zones, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: a hospital-based, cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 13; no. 11; p. e070195
• Main Authors: Terefa, Dufera Rikitu, Tesfaye, Edosa, Tolessa, Belachew Etana, Desisa, Adisu Ewunetu, Olani, Wolkite, Fetensa, Getahun, Chego, Melese, Abdisa, Eba, Turi, Ebisa, Bekuma, Tariku Tesfaye, Getachew, Motuma, Tesfaye, Lensa, Tilahun, Temesgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 06.11.2023; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group
• Series: Original research
• Subjects: Asthma; Chronic illnesses; COVID-19; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Decision Making; Diabetes; Disease prevention; EPIDEMIOLOGY; Health care expenditures; Health Equity; Health Policy; Health Services Accessibility; HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT; Hospitals; Hypertension; Mental disorders; Pandemics; Patients; Registration; Sample size; Sampling techniques; Wage rates; United States > US; Ethiopia
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070195
• ISSN: 2044-6055

ObjectiveGlobally, around one-third of the population has at least one long-term health condition that could be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the fact that studies have revealed the direct impact of COVID-19 on healthcare provision and utilisation, the impact of the pandemic on the cost of chronic disease treatment and care from a patient perspective was scanty. So, the study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cost of chronic diseases treatment and care at public hospitals in Wallaga zones, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, from 1 August to 31 August 2020.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used, and the sample size for the study (n=642) was determined using a single population mean formula. Data were collected using interviews and analysed using SPSS V.25. Descriptive statistics were performed, and the cost of follow-up care before and after the pandemic was compared using a related-samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test, declaring the level of significance of the median cost difference at p<0.05.ResultsA total of 642 patients were included in the study, of whom 605 (94.2%) responded to the interviews. There was a significant median cost difference (n=593, Z=5.05, p=0.001) between the cost of chronic diseases among follow-up patients during the pandemic and the costs incurred by these patients before the pandemic.ConclusionThe cost of follow-up care among chronic disease patients during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly higher compared with before the pandemic era. Therefore, healthcare providers should arrange special fee waiver mechanisms for chronic disease healthcare costs during such types of pandemics and provide the services at proximal health facilities.