Economic burden of the persistent morbidity of nodding syndrome on caregivers in affected households in Northern Uganda
No Thumbnail Available
Files
Date
2020-09-29
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PLOS One
Abstract
Background
Nodding syndrome (NS), is an unexplained form of epilepsy which leads to stunted growth,
cognitive decline, and a characteristic nodding of the head. Current data about its impact on
households in Uganda is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to assess the economic burden
of the persistent morbidity of NS on caregivers in affected households in Northern Uganda.
Methods
Across-sectional cost-of-care study was conducted from January 2019 to February 2019 in
Lakwela village-Northern Uganda in 14 households, who are members of a community
based organization (CBO) established in the village with the support of a Japanese research
team, (Uganda-Japan Nodding Syndrome Network). Data was collected through question
naires. Both direct (medical and non-medical) and indirect (informal care) costs of caregiv
ing were assessed. Indirect costs were valued using the human-capital method as loss of
production.
Results
Direct costs constituted a higher proportion of costs for NS households, accounting for on
average 7.7% of household expenditure. The annual weighted mean cost per NS patient
wasestimated at 27.6 USD (26.4 USDdirect costs, 96.2% and1.2 USD indirect cost, 3.8%). Average time spent on informal caregiving was 4.4 ±1.7 (standard deviation) hours/
weekwith anestimated annual informal caregiving cost of 24.85 USD and gross domestic
product (GDP) loss of 412.40 USD.
Conclusion
Direct costs due to NS are still high among households in this study. More studies are
needed to investigate measures that could help bring down these costs and equally reduce
the day-to-day disruption of caregiver’s activities; consequently, improving the lives of these
affected households and communities.
Description
Keywords
Nodding syndrome, Economic burden, Northern Uganda
Citation
Latio, L. S. Y., Nam, N. H., Shah, J., Smith, C., Sakai, K., Stonewall Shaban, K., ... & Moji, K. (2020). Economic burden of the persistent morbidity of nodding syndrome on caregivers in affected households in Northern Uganda. PloS one, 15(9), e0238643.