Estimates of the economic burden of rotavirus-associated and all-cause diarrhoea in Vellore, India.

Objective: To determine the cost of rotavirus and all-cause diarrhoea in Vellore, India.

Methods: Parents of children <5 years of age accessing clinics, emergency rooms, or hospitals for acute diarrhoea completed a questionnaire detailing healthcare utilisation, medical and non-medical expenditures, and lost income. Faecal samples were screened for rotavirus and medical records were examined. Costs were estimated for inpatient and outpatient resource consumption, stratified by facility.

Results: Total societal costs of a hospitalised diarrhoeal episode were Rs 3278.50 (US$ 80.80) at a large referral hospital and Rs 1648.60 (US$ 40.60) at a smaller community hospital. Costs for rotavirus positive or negative gastroenteritis were similar. Median household expenditures per diarrhoeal episode at the referral and the community hospitals equalled 5.8% and 2.2% of the annual household income, respectively.

Conclusions: Diarrhoeal disease in children constitutes a considerable economic burden. An appropriately priced and effective rotavirus vaccine may provide significant economic savings for the Indian household and healthcare system.