Maltezou HC, Giannouchos TV, Pavli A, Tsonou P, Dedoukou X, Tseroni M, Papadima K, Hatzigeorgiou D, Sipsas NV, Souliotis K. Costs associated with COVID-19 in healthcare personnel in Greece: a cost-of-illness analysis.
J Hosp Infect 2021;
114:126-133. [PMID:
33894306 PMCID:
PMC8061082 DOI:
10.1016/j.jhin.2021.04.018]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at increased risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the aetiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
AIM
To estimate the costs related to SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection among HCP in Greece.
METHODS
Data were retrieved from the national database of SARS-CoV-2 infections and from the database of HCP exposed to patients with COVID-19. A cost-of-illness analysis was performed to estimate total, direct and indirect costs.
RESULTS
In total, 254 HCP with COVID-19 and 3332 HCP exposed to patients with COVID-19 during the first epidemic wave were studied. Of the 254 HCP with COVID-19, 49 (19.3%) were hospitalized (mean length of hospitalization 11.6 days) and four were admitted to intensive care units (mean duration 10.8 days). Overall, 1332 (40%) exposed HCP had a mean duration of absenteeism of 7.5 days, and 252 (99.2%) HCP with COVID-19 had a mean duration of absenteeism of 25.8 days. The total costs for the management of the two groups were estimated at €1,735,830 (€772,890 Euros for HCP with COVID-19 and €962,940 for exposed HCP). Absenteeism accounted for a large proportion of the total costs (80.4% of all expenditures), followed by costs for reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and hospitalization (10.2% and 6.5% of all expenditures, respectively).
CONCLUSION
COVID-19 is associated with increased rates and duration of absenteeism among HCP. Indirect costs, particularly absenteeism, are the major driver of total costs among exposed HCP and HCP with COVID-19. The estimated total costs are conservative. Studies are needed to explore the impact of COVID-19 vaccination of HCP on absenteeism and COVID-19-associated costs.
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