John M. Blandford

Background: PEPFAR, national governments, and other stakeholders are investing unprecedented resources to provide HIV treatment in developing countries. This study reports empirical data on costs and cost trends in a large sample of HIV treatment sites. Design: In 2006–2007, we conducted cost analyses at 43 PEPFAR-supported outpatient clinics providing free comprehensive HIV treatment in Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Vietnam. Methods: We collected data on HIV treatment costs over consecutive 6-month periods starting from scale-up of dedicated HIV treatment services at each site. The study included all patients receiving HIV treatment and care at study sites [62 512 antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 44 394 pre-ART patients]. Outcomes were costs per patient and total program costs, subdivided by major cost categories. Results: Median annual economic costs were US$ 202 (2009 USD) for pre-ART patients and US$ 880 for ART patients. Excluding antiretrovirals, per patient ART costs were US$ 298. Care for newly initiated ART patients cost 15–20% more than for established patients. Per patient costs dropped rapidly as sites matured, with per patient ART costs dropping 46.8% between first and second 6-month periods after the beginning of scale-up, and an additional 29.5% the following year. PEPFAR provided 79.4% of funding for service delivery, and national governments provided 15.2%. Conclusion: Treatment costs vary widely between sites, and high early costs drop rapidly as sites mature. Treatment costs vary between countries and respond to changes in antiretroviral regimen costs and the package of services. Whereas cost reductions may allow near-term program growth, programs need to weigh the trade-off between improving services for current patients and expanding coverage to new patients.

On-site screening and same-day treatment of maternal syphilis in underresourced settings can avert greater numbers of congenital syphilis cases, but health outcomes and associated costs must be evaluated jointly. We used decision analysis to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of two on-site antenatal syphilis screening strategies to avert congenital infections-qualitative RPR (on-site RPR) and treponemal immunochromatographic strip assay (on-site ICS)-compared to the current practice (off-site RPR/TPHA). With antenatal active syphilis prevalence of 6.3%, the incremental cost-effectiveness of on-site ICS in averting congenital infections was estimated to be USD104, averting 82% of cases expected in absence of a program. The incremental cost-effectiveness of off-site RPR/TPHA was USD82 but would avert only 55% of congenital syphilis cases. On-site RPR was dominated by the other screening strategies. In settings of high maternal syphilis prevalence, on-site antenatal screening with ICS is a cost-effective approach to reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis.

The productivity losses attributable to disease-related morbidity and mortality impose a burden on society in general and on employers in particular. A reliable assessment of the productivity losses associated with untreated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) would complement earlier work on direct medical costs and contribute to an estimate of the full cost of chlamydial disease. The goal of this study was to estimate the discounted lifetime productivity losses attributable to untreated chlamydial infection in reproductive-aged women. We developed a cost model using Monte Carlo methods to estimate the lifetime discounted productivity losses attributable to untreated lower genital tract Ct infection among reproductive-aged women. The model considered the impact of disability resulting from acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) associated with untreated Ct infection and from the sequelae of acute PID, including chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. To accommodate disparate Ct infection rates and labor market characteristics across age groups, we matched age-based risk factors for Ct infection with labor market patterns. Data sources included the 2001 National Chlamydia Surveillance Data, the 2001 Current Population Survey, and published literature. Estimates indicate that the mean weighted productivity losses per untreated Ct infection were approximately US dollars 130 (in year 2001 dollars). Mean weighted productivity losses per case of acute PID were estimated at US dollars 649. Estimated productivity losses were highly correlated with age, reflecting age-dependent differences in labor market characteristics. The productivity losses attributable to untreated infection with Ct and to sequelae of this infection form a substantial portion of the total economic burden of disease. Effective programs to prevent chlamydial infection and effective screening, diagnosis, and treatment of Ct-infected women may reduce productivity losses and substantially lessen the economic burden of disease to employers.

Each year, millions of U.S. youth acquire sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Estimates of the economic burden of STDs can help to quantify the impact of STDs on the nation's youth and on the payers of the cost of their medical care. We synthesized the existing literature on STD costs to estimate the lifetime medical cost per case of eight major STDs-HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), genital herpes simplex virus type 2, hepatitis B, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis. We then estimated the total burden of disease by multiplying these cost-per-case estimates by the approximate number of new cases of STDs acquired by youth aged 15-24. The total estimated burden of the nine million new cases of these STDs that occurred among 15-24-year-olds in 2000 was $6.5 billion (in year 2000 dollars). Viral STDs accounted for 94% of the total burden ($6.2 billion), and nonviral STDs accounted for 6% of the total burden ($0.4 billion). HIV and HPV were by far the most costly STDs in terms of total estimated direct medical costs, accounting for 90% of the total burden ($5.9 billion). The large number of infections acquired by persons aged 15-24 and the high cost per case of viral STDs, particularly HIV, create a substantial economic burden.

Treatment of incubating syphilis with intramuscular benzathine penicillin in exposed sex partners is not always practical in the field, and exposed partners may not adhere to referrals for treatment at clinical facilities. The availability of a single-dose oral therapy could increase the number of partners treated and reduce future infections. The goal of the study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of directly observed oral administration of azithromycin as an alternative to referral for treatment with benzathine penicillin. Using published probability and cost estimates, we constructed a decision-analysis model to compare the direct costs and effectiveness of field treatment with azithromycin (1-g single dose) versus referral for standard benzathine penicillin therapy. At public-sector pricing ($11.50 U.S.), directly observed field treatment with azithromycin is cost-saving from both the program and healthcare system perspectives at efficacy levels as low as 75%. Azithromycin therapy is cost-saving at the wholesale price of $17.32 (sachet formulation) when efficacy is at least 90%. The more expensive tablet formulation (average wholesale price of $27.89) is not cost-saving from a program perspective, but it remains cost-saving from a healthcare system perspective if efficacy rates are at least 90%. Azithromycin therapy (1-g single dose) will result in fewer cases of early syphilis among exposed partners, provided that the drug's efficacy is at least 87%. Azithromycin is a cost-effective alternative treatment for incubating syphilis in settings where standard intramuscular therapy is not practical.