Abstract | OBJECTIVE: More than 30% of the German population suffers from mild to moderate iodine deficiency causing goiter and other iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs). The economic burden of iodine deficiency is still unclear. We aimed to assess costs for prevention, monitoring and treatment of IDDs in Germany. DESIGN: We performed a comprehensive cost analysis. METHODS: We assessed direct medical costs and direct non-medical costs for inpatient and outpatient care of IDDs and costs for productivity loss due to the absence of work in 2018. Additionally, we calculated total costs for an IDD prevention program comprising universal salt iodization (USI). We performed threshold analyses projecting how many cases of IDDs or related treatments would need to be avoided for USI to be cost-saving. RESULTS: CONCLUSION: USI potentially saves costs, if a minimum amount of IDDs per year could be avoided. In order to recommend the implementation of USI, a full health-economic evaluation including a comprehensive benefit-harm assessment is needed.
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Authors | Monika Schaffner, Ursula Rochau, Nikolai Mühlberger, Annette Conrads-Frank, Vjollca Qerimi Rushaj, Gaby Sroczynski, Eftychia Koukkou, Betina Heinsbaek Thuesen, Henry Völzke, Wilhelm Oberaigner, Uwe Siebert |
Journal | Endocrine connections
(Endocr Connect)
Vol. 10
Issue 1
Pg. 1-12
(Jan 2021)
ISSN: 2049-3614 [Print] England |
PMID | 33263563
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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