Burden of Disease and Cost of Illness of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Portugal

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases' (IBD) increasing incidence and prevalence place a heavy health and economic burden on society. OBJECTIVES: This study assesses the burden and cost of IBD in Portugal to support the definition of health policies, resource allocation, and patient care. METHODS: The burden of disease was expressed using disability-adjusted life years (DALY). Costs were estimated considering the societal perspective, using a prevalence-based model and prices established by law. An expert panel composed of 5 expert Portuguese gastroenterologists and a patient-reported study were conducted to support the cost analysis and fill in information gaps. RESULTS: In Portugal, with a prevalence of 24,069 IBD patients and an incidence of 15/100,000, the burden of disease was estimated at 6,067 DALYs: 507 resulting from premature deaths and 5,560 from disability. Total cost was estimated at EUR 146 million per year, with direct costs representing 59%. Average yearly cost per IBD patient is EUR 6,075, where 60% is related to Crohn's disease and 40% to ulcerative colitis (UC). CONCLUSION: This study estimates the annual health burden and cost of IBD in Portugal, thus generating information with the intent to raise awareness of the need to advance health policies as well as better clinical and economic decisions in this pathology.