03182nas a2200421   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653002700058653002000085653002500105653002500130653001900155653001600174653001700190653001100207100001500218700001800233700001500251700001500266700002000281700001400301700001700315700001300332700001800345700001500363700002000378700001500398700001200413700001900425700001300444700001600457245008400473856015300557300000900710490000700719520202000726022001402746       2025                            d  bElsevier BV10achronic Chagas disease10aeconomic burden10asocietal perspective10adirect medical costs10aindirect costs10aAbsenteeism10aMarkov model10aBrazil1 aAndrade MV1 aNoronha KVMDS1 ade Souza A1 aJulião NA1 aMotta-Santos AS1 aBraga PEF1 aBracarense H1 aSilva YC1 aNascimento BR1 aCarneiro M1 aMartins-Melo FR1 aMachado IE1 aPerel P1 aGeissbühler Y1 aDemacq C1 aRibeiro ALP00aEconomic burden of Chagas disease in Brazil: a nationwide cost-of-illness study  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X25002121/pdfft?md5=ec8089f927485b4981cbadc882937e2b&pid=1-s2.0-S2667193X25002121-main.pdf  a1-120 v503 a<p id="sectitle0015"><strong>Background</strong></p>

<p>Chagas disease remains a public health issue with substantial financial impact on the healthcare system of Latin American countries. Despite its great economic burden, research quantifying the direct and indirect costs are limited, particularly within Brazil. This study estimates the economic burden of chronic Chagas disease in Brazil, as part of the broader project, ‘The Burden of Chagas Disease in the Contemporary World: The RAISE Study’.</p>

<p id="sectitle0020"><strong>Methods</strong></p>

<p>A Markov model was used to estimate the economic burden of chronic Chagas disease from a societal perspective considering six mutually exclusive health states: four clinical forms (indeterminate, cardiac, digestive, mixed) and two absorptive states (death and cure). This model was analyzed through microsimulation with a one-year cycle length, considering a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 patients, each repeated 1000 times to report the average. Data on costs were gathered, converted to 2024 purchasing power parity US dollars, and considered direct medical costs and productivity losses due to absenteeism.</p>

<p id="sectitle0025"><strong>Findings</strong></p>

<p>The annual economic burden of chronic Chagas disease in Brazil was estimated at $11.44 billion, constituting 0.23% of the gross domestic product, with a lifetime cost per patient of $45,034. Lifetime direct medical costs represent around 72% of the total lifetime economic burden, while indirect costs, 28%. Annual direct medical costs represent around 11% of the Ministry of Health budget.</p>

<p id="sectitle0030"><strong>Interpretation</strong></p>

<p>The significant economic burden highlights the necessity for effective public health policies and resource allocation in Brazil's healthcare system. Given the universal health coverage model, understanding these costs can guide improvements and interventions aimed at reducing Chagas disease’s impact.</p>
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