Resource Utilization and Costs of Care prior to ART Initiation for Pediatric Patients in Zambia
Table 2
Resource utilization and costs of care during the 6 months prior to treatment initiation for pediatric ART patients in Zambia.
Patients with ≤2 clinic visits prior to ART initiation
Patients with >2 clinic visits prior to ART initiation
value
All patients
(%)
511 (61)
321 (39)
832 (100)
Days to ART initiation, median [IQR]
17 [10–29]
43 28–83
<0.0001
26 14–48
Resource utilization
Clinic visits, mean (95% CI)
1.56 (1.51–1.60)
3.69 (3.56–3.81)
<0.0001
2.38 (2.29–2.47)
CD4 tests, mean (95% CI)
0.67 (0.62–0.71)
1.05 (0.98–1.11)
<0.0001
0.81 (0.77–0.85)
Full blood count tests, mean (95% CI)
0.56 (0.51–0.61)
1.03 (0.96–1.11)
<0.0001
0.74 (0.70–0.79)
Blood chemistry tests, mean (95% CI)*
0.48 (0.44–0.52)
0.49 (0.44–0.55)
0.80
0.49 (0.45–0.52)
Cost per patient in 2011 USD, mean (95% CI)
17 (16–18)
25 (23–26)
<0.0001
20 (19–21)
ART: antiretroviral therapy; USD: United States dollar. A blood chemistry test could include any combination of the following tests: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, glucose, protein, urea, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin tests.
