Patient costs for drug-resistant TB diagnosis and pre-treatment evaluation in North India.

ABSTRACT: India's National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) aims to eliminate TB-related catastrophic expenditure by offering free diagnosis and treatment. However, 3.9% of TB patients have drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and are facing higher costs. To assess DR-TB patients' diagnosis and pre-treatment evaluation costs, catastrophic cost incidence, and its relation to patient characteristics. The study included DR-TB patients from three District Drug-Resistant TB Centres in Delhi and Faridabad (October 2021-June 2022). Socio-economic and clinical characteristics and direct medical and non-medical costs from drug susceptibility testing eligibility to the start of DR-TB treatment were collected using patient interviews and records. Indirect costs were calculated via the human capital approach, defining cata

SUBMITTER: Das S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11373743 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature