A cost of illness study is used to determine the overall cost to society of a particular disease or condition. These studies are generally conducted at national level, making use of surveys of health professionals in addition to published epidemiological and other data.
Cost of illness studies highlight the impact of a specific disease on society, particularly the extra resources that are required to manage the disease or the productivity lost as a result of the disease. Where the cost of disease is high, a cost of illness study can help to show the need for action to better manage this disease.
Better management of the disease may include new pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical medical technologies subsidized by the government or other relevant healthcare payers.