The Epidemiology and Economic Burden of Obesity and Related Cardiometabolic Disorders in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis

Table 4

Cost of illness for diabetes from Al-Maskari et al. [12].

Study design	Sample size	Data sources	Cost components and costing approach	Perspective	Time horizon	Economic burden (annual cost/patient) (US$, 2004)	Major limitations
Cross-sectional	150 (recruited from 2 outpatient clinics at Al Ain, Abu Dhabi: 67% men; 48% nationals; 33%: >60 years old)	Cost data: official list of charges/rates for patients not covered by health insurance; Resources use: interviewer-administered questionnaire completed by patients	Components: direct costs (visits to primary health care centers or diabetes clinic, laboratory tests, medications, hospitalizations due to diabetes complications, and emergency room visits due to diabetes); Approach: marco-costing	Health care payer	1 year	No complications: US$1,605 ($2,015 adjusted to 2015); Microvascular complications: US$3,453 ($4,334 adjusted to 2015); Macrovascular complications: US$10,300 ($12,929 adjusted to 2015); Micro- and macrovascular complications: US$15,104 ($18,959 adjusted to 2015); Cost drivers: diabetes-related complications; treatment with insulin	Self-reported questionnaire, uncertainties not thoroughly addressed, and sensitivity analyses not conducted