Public health costs for tuberculosis suspects in Wake County, North Carolina, United States
OBJECTIVE: To describe the cost of TB suspects to public health departments, and determine whether part of this cost can be averted using improved diagnostic tools.
DESIGN: We evaluated resource utilization for all TB suspects as well as a random sample of TB cases managed at the Wake County public health clinic during 2008–2010. The proportion of total health department costs attributable to TB suspects was estimated. A sensitivity analysis assessed the potential impact of a rapid, accurate diagnostic test to avert suspect-associated costs.
RESULTS: Of 135 patients evaluated for TB, 36 (27%) were suspects, accounting for 14% (US51885) of the total estimated costs for managing all patients. A perfect diagnostic test with a 3-day turnaround would have averted US27975 (53%) of the costs attributable to suspects.
CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of public health resources is utilized to manage persons whose final diagnosis is not TB. Efficient implementation of novel rapid tests could avert substantial public health costs.
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; cost analysis; public health practice; treatment cost
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA 2: School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA 3: Tuberculosis Control, Wake County Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Publication date: 01 June 2013
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