Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118406

Juan Perez, MPH MD, Philippine Tuberculosis Initiatives for the Private Sector, Chemonics International Inc., Unit 1608 West Tower, PSEC Building, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 1605, Philippines, 6326877135, jiangeles@philtips.com

BACKGROUND: A third of TB sympotmatics in the Philippines consult private doctors. The private health sector has been reluctant to adopt DOTS because of policy and financing constraints.The USAID-funded Philippine Tuberculosis Initiatives for the Private Sector (PhilTIPS) project conducted and disseminated a Burden of TB Disease and its Economic Consequences study to highlight to policymakers the problem in the Philippines and provide an impetus for policy and financing reforms to enable private sector participation in DOTS.

DESIGN/METHODS: Methods were: (1) Econometric tools for analysis (prevalence of disease and income quintiles; prevalence risk controlling for social and demographic factors and analysis of economic losses using wage differentials). (2) Lifespan measure (3) Disability Adjusted Life Years or DALYs.

RESULTS/OUTCOME: Over 500,000 DALYs are lost in the Philippines from TB annually. Premature mortality due to TB represents 9.0% of all potential years of life lost in Filipinos 10 years and older. Using sputum smear positive diagnoses, 212,704 (3.1 per thousand) Filipinos develop symptomatic TB. 1997 National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey results found only 38% of symptomatic TB patients sought professional treatment. 41% of symptomatics went to public centers and paid US$1- US$3. The remaining 59% went to other facilities, and paid US$14-US$19 monthly.

CONCLUSIONS: A burden of disease study provides evidence-based data that TB has devastating socio-economic impact on a high-burden country like the Philippines; it is an effective platform for advocacy and public information. In 2003, after dissemination of study findings, actions of government and private sector leaders showed positive changes in the areas of health policy, social insurance and health education.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about approaches to examining the socio-economic impact of TB on a country like the Philippines; they will be introduced to policy options for addressing the TB problem, including implications for national health policy, social health insurance, and health education development.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation