A direct cost is any cost that can be directly quantified by direct medical treatments, diagnostic test, physician visits, hospital visits and any other related health services. [10] SLE is a multisystem chronic disease with unpredictable manifestation of the disease, also named flares. [10][11] Direct annual costs of Systemic Lupus erythematosus is dependent on the severity of the symptoms and how many flare ups had occurred.
It is estimated that on average SLE will cost between $10,984 and $16 873 annually in direct costs. [11][12] Of that estimate, 49% is from hospitalisation, 26% is from medications, 12% is from physician visits and 13% are various individual specific treatments and procedures.[12]
The unpredictable flare ups of SLE is …show more content…
The indirect cost is estimated by placing a value on the loss of productivity at work, loss of hours from work, inability to give back to the community or the inability to do household chores and childrearing. It can also be the estimated through loss of profit of friends or family that aid in the home care of a patient. [15]
It was estimated in Canada in 1977 that the indirect cost of SLE range from $1,434 to $22,604 depending on the estimated value assigned to an activity that is impaired due to the disease [16]. In a matched control study, patients with or without SLE from the same community, 50% of patients did not have a job compared to the 24% in the controls that did not have a job. [15] Out of those who quit their job and have lupus, 92% blamed their disease for the loss of employment, compare to 42% in the controls. [17] However, among those who continued to work there was no significant loss of work hours compared to the …show more content…
It is important to note that with such a hard economic burden associated with lupus, women in these conditions are being hit with a disease they are unable to financially sustain. This disease is making individuals already in a lower socioeconomic status even lower and unable to financially support themselves. This creates an ethical issue around healthcare and health insurance, as it is a prime example of how the population with financial instability are at a higher risk for the disease.
Psychological Impact[edit]
Associated with the chronicity and the unpredictable visual flare-ups of the disease, SLE causes strain on the mental health of the patients. The most common visual flare-up of the disease is the appearance of a butterfly rash on the upper cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Another effect of the disease is hair loss as well as weight gain due to the steroids in the medication treatment of the disease. [20][21]
There is so much value placed on the importance of appearance in today’s society, resulting in discrimination of individuals perceived as unhealthy. Individuals with the visual symptoms of SLE associate going out in public as a battle of courage. Associated with patients being stared at because of the public concern that the visual symptoms of SLE are potentially a contagious disease, there is a sentiment of
It is estimated that on average SLE will cost between $10,984 and $16 873 annually in direct costs. [11][12] Of that estimate, 49% is from hospitalisation, 26% is from medications, 12% is from physician visits and 13% are various individual specific treatments and procedures.[12]
The unpredictable flare ups of SLE is …show more content…
The indirect cost is estimated by placing a value on the loss of productivity at work, loss of hours from work, inability to give back to the community or the inability to do household chores and childrearing. It can also be the estimated through loss of profit of friends or family that aid in the home care of a patient. [15]
It was estimated in Canada in 1977 that the indirect cost of SLE range from $1,434 to $22,604 depending on the estimated value assigned to an activity that is impaired due to the disease [16]. In a matched control study, patients with or without SLE from the same community, 50% of patients did not have a job compared to the 24% in the controls that did not have a job. [15] Out of those who quit their job and have lupus, 92% blamed their disease for the loss of employment, compare to 42% in the controls. [17] However, among those who continued to work there was no significant loss of work hours compared to the …show more content…
It is important to note that with such a hard economic burden associated with lupus, women in these conditions are being hit with a disease they are unable to financially sustain. This disease is making individuals already in a lower socioeconomic status even lower and unable to financially support themselves. This creates an ethical issue around healthcare and health insurance, as it is a prime example of how the population with financial instability are at a higher risk for the disease.
Psychological Impact[edit]
Associated with the chronicity and the unpredictable visual flare-ups of the disease, SLE causes strain on the mental health of the patients. The most common visual flare-up of the disease is the appearance of a butterfly rash on the upper cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Another effect of the disease is hair loss as well as weight gain due to the steroids in the medication treatment of the disease. [20][21]
There is so much value placed on the importance of appearance in today’s society, resulting in discrimination of individuals perceived as unhealthy. Individuals with the visual symptoms of SLE associate going out in public as a battle of courage. Associated with patients being stared at because of the public concern that the visual symptoms of SLE are potentially a contagious disease, there is a sentiment of