Costos de otitis media aguda en pediatría, en una ciudad de la Costa Caribe colombiana

Introduction: Acute otitis media is the main cause of visits or medical consultations, antibiotic use and outpatient surgeries in developed countries and is associated with a significant economic burden; However, the non-medical indirect costs of AOM, which are relevant in this pathology, have been underestimated Objective: To estimate the costs of AOM in pediatric patients in Cartagena Colombia. Materials and methods: Prospective study of microcosteo from 2014 to 2015. The direct and indirect costs of AOM were determined through forms applied to parents or caregivers. Loss of productivity was estimated based on the monthly legal minimum wage of 2014 (COP $ 616.000) (USD $ 308). Results: A total of 62 episodes of AOM were present. Total economic costs attributed per OMA episode were COP $ 358.954 of ± $ 254.903 (USD $ 179). The total economic burden was COP $ 22.503.141 (USD $ 11,250), indirect costs per episode were COP $ 101.402 (USD $ 51) and the average time spent by parents on care was 3.7 days. Conclusion: The estimated costs of AOM in this study are lower than the costs estimated in a review of high income countries and similar to low income countries such as Nigeria. Information on total costs (direct and indirect) of AOM are necessary for public health decision-making and for full cost-effectiveness assessments.