Table 3

Direct and indirect costs to households per illness episode (US$)

Cost US$
Inpatient pneumoniaSepticaemiaMeningitisP value*
Mean (SD)Median (IQR)Mean (SD)Median (IQR)Mean (SD)Median (IQR)
AKTH
Pre-admission costs9.4 (9.3)8.6 (0–12)19.8 (26.4)13.9 (8–26)14.9 (11.0)13.6 (8–25)0.01
Current admission costs
1. Direct costs
Transportation1.1 (1.9)0.0 (0–4)2.1 (5.7)0.0 (0–5)1.1 (2.9)0.0 (0–0)0.84
Feeding0.6 (2.2)0.0 (0–0)1.2 (4.8)0.0 (0–0)1.3 (6.1)0.0 (0–0)0.98
User fees38.5 (29.3)35.2 (30–38)44.5 (25.4)35.8 (32–47)44.3 (6.7)44.3 (39–50)<0.001
Total direct household costs50 (30.0)43.6 (36–55)73.5 (61.1)60.7 (45–75)64.3 (16.8)68.8 (51–76)<0.001
2. Indirect costs
Working days lost5 (0.9)5 (4–5)5 (1.2)5 (5–6)6 (1.1)6 (6–7)<0.001
Monthly household income258.6249.7 (222–277)266.1270.5 (222–277)329.6277.4 (222–361)0.30
Daily income lost4 (2)4 (3–5)4 (2)5 (3–5)5 (2)5 (4–5)0.23)
Total indirect costs19 (7.0)19 (14–23)22 (12.0)23 (15–23)28 (14.7)27.7 (22–28)0.006
Total household costs68.9 (28.2)64.5 (55–75)95.4 (63.8)82.6 (63–96)92.3 (22.1)89.3 (79–106)<0.001
MMSH
Pre-admission costs12.0 (9.8)9.9 (7–12)12.2 (10.4)11.4 (0–14)18.6 (10.4)17.7 (11–26)0.003
Current admission costs
1. Direct costs
Transportation2.9 (4.8)1.9 (0–3)1.7 (3.9)0.0 (0–5)2.9 (4.4)0.0 (0–6)0.17
Feeding1.1 (3.4)0.0 (0–0)3.2 (12.8)0.0 (0–0)6.8 (17.8)0.0 (0–0)0.57
User fees27.8 (11.3)29.1 (22–36)50.7 (84.3)34.4 (29–44)59.2 (94.3)40.3 (36–45)<0.001
Total direct household costs43.7 (14.4)42.7 (35–53)74.3 (102.0)53.8 (42–72)92.2 (106.6)71.8 (58–83)<0.001
2. Indirect cost
Working days lost5.3 (3.3)5.0 (4–5)5.6 (1.5)5.0 (5–7)7.4 (6.5)6.0 (5–7)<0.001
Monthly household income242.1221.9 (166–277)257.8221.9 (194–277)271.3249.7 (222–277)0.46
Daily income lost3 (2)3 (2–5)4 (2)4 (3–5)4 (3)4 (3–5)
Total indirect costs16.3 (12.4)16.6 (7–23)21.1 (12.0)18.5 (114–26)28.4 (22.5)22.4 (19–28)<0.001
Total household costs60.0 (21.8)59.1 (47–74)95.4 (105.7)68.4 (60–95)120.6 (123.2)97.6 (83–108)<0.001
Combined hospitals
Direct cost46.3 (22.3)43.6 (36–53)73.9 (84.1)57.3 (42-73)81.2 (84.1)69.6 (55–80)<0.001
Indirect cost17.4 (10.6)18.5 (9–23)21.5 (11.9)19.4 (14–26)28.2 (19.6)23 (19–28)<0.001
Total cost63.7 (24.9)62.2 (50–74)95.4 (87.3)72.2 (61–95)109.4 (97.1)93.8 (81–106)<0.001
  • *P value for Kruskal-Wallis test comparing medians across disease categories.

  • AKTH, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; MMSH, Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital.