Investigating the economic burden of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Uzbekistan
Annotatsiya
This study aimed to study the economic cost of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Uzbekistan hospitals holistically. In a retrospective cross-sectional-analytic study, 1,428 patients’ data were retrieved from 15 selected hospitals’ medical and financial records in 2021-2022 using a sociodemographic costing approach (direct medical, non-medical, and indirect costs). Results showed that the mean per-episode total cost of hospitalization was USD 5,021, of which 47% was related to indirect costs (mainly lost patient and caregiver productivity). The largest determinant of cost was severity of illness, with severe/critical illness (USD 8,473) being roughly 4 times that of mild illness (USD 2,187) and 3.9 times that of moderate illness (USD 3,956). Specially treated drugs (25.6% of direct costs) and critical care interventions (36.7% of direct costs) were the leading components of direct costs. Multivariate regression analysis found the strongest predictors of costs to be admission to ICU (β=4.892), mechanical ventilation (β=3.785), and length of stay (an additional USD 387 per day). The significant cost difference between private (USD 6,842) and public (USD 4,217) sector, as well as between regions (32.7% higher in Tashkent), are the key policy implications of this study. The implications suggest the need for designing targeted financial support schemes for high-risk individuals and resource optimization within the Uzbek health system.