Economic Burden Associated with Head Louse Infestation in Qom Province, Central Iran using Activity Based Costing. 2018

Head lice are obligatory human and animal ectoparasites that are considered one of the most important health problems around the world. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden associated with head louse infestation in Qom province using Activity Based Costing.

In a cross-sectional census study, all schoolchildren in census form Qom province were investigated for head lice infestations in the year 2018. Also, all individuals who had complained of head lice infestation were examined and the confirmed cases were entered to the study for evaluating of economic burden of head lice. The two financial soft wares (Azarakhsh and Roozamad) in Excel were used to costs analysis of government expenditures (direct and indirect costs) and out of pocket costs.

Economic burden of head lice infestation was estimated 14,985,409,572 rials (299,709$). The direct and indirect costs; governmental cost, out of pocket and total costs (governmental +out of pocket) of head lice infestation were included 157,337 rials (3.14$), 141,675 rials (2.84$), 299,012 rials (5.98$), 280,000 rials (5.60$) and 579,012 rials (11.58$) per case respectively.

Head lice infestation impose high costs on government healthcare systems, and in particular on households. Therefore, it is recommended that, while prioritizing lice-prevention programs, a larger share of the health care costs to pay by the government healthcare systems. It makes the out-of-pocket payments will be minimized.