Cost-of-illness studies on diseases and poverty-aggravated conditions in Brazil: research challenges and methodological strategies

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the challenges associated with conducting cost-of-illness studies on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and conditions aggravated by poverty in Brazil, and to present the methodological strategies adopted to address them, based on the experience of researchers from the Tropical Medicine Center at the University of Brasília. Study characteristics were extracted from the respective publications, while contextual information was provided by the researchers involved. The contribution of these studies to the scientific literature and to health policy was also identified. Among the main challenges were those related to the use of data from health information systems as parameters for the development of the studies, which required the adoption of specific methodological strategies to obtain key inputs for cost estimation. To make the studies feasible, initiatives such as primary data collection, collaboration with national reference centers for disease treatment, and engagement with experts in both the diseases and health technology assessment were essential. This methodological analysis may therefore contribute to the development of future cost-of-illness studies on other NTDs in Brazil.