Abstract:


Background: Diabetes mellitus is the primary cause of mortality and disability in low- and middle-income nations, and the related medical costs can be quite high for both individuals and healthcare systems.. According to estimates, approximately 70% of the expense of diabetes is due to its complications. This research aimed to determine the direct medication costs incurred in the treatment of diabetes.

Method: An interview-based cross-sectional study was conducted through convenience selection of 308 diabetic patients in BMC hospital from 10th April to 28th May, 2023. Association between affordability of treatment cost and complication status and diabetes type was assessed through chi-square.

Results and discussion: In this study involving 308 participants, the age range was wide, spanning from 9 to 100 years, with a mean age of 50.85 years and a standard deviation of 18.541.The participants' employment status varied, with 38.3% being self-employed, 23.4% employed, 20.1% retired, and 18.2% non-workers. The majority of participants owned their homes (90.9%), while 8.1% rented, and only 1.0% reported being homeless. The monthly earnings varied greatly, ranging from 0 to 500,000 Tanzanian Shillings (TZS). On average, patients earned 324,090.91 TZS per month, with a standard deviation of 140,886.507. In terms of treatment costs, consultation fees ranged from 25,000 to 300,000 TZS, with a mean fee of 150,974.03 TZS and a standard deviation of 72,670.283.The costs of ant-diabetic medications exhibited considerable variation, ranging from 4,800 to 2,640,000 TZS. The mean cost in this regard was 600,843.83 TZS, with a notable standard deviation of 579,356.018. The mean cost for medical devices was 166,115.32 TZS, with a standard deviation of 152,390.182, while the mean cost for other medications was 361,473.05 TZS, with a higher standard deviation of 461,224.974.

Conclusion: The participants exhibited diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, and the costs associated with diabetes treatment, including consultation fees and daily expenses, posed significant financial challenges. Patients with complications, particularly cardiovascular diseases and elevated cholesterol, incurred substantially higher treatment costs.