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Box 2 List of assumptions for the estimation of costs

From: Determinants of household catastrophic costs for drug sensitive tuberculosis patients in Kenya

Regarding the patient condition:

1. That all patients remained in the same treatment category (DSTB) until the end of their current treatment

2. That all patients adhered to the NTP recommended visit schedule for the duration of treatment (biweekly in intensive phase and once a month in the continuation phase)

3. No further hospitalization episodes happened after the interview

Regarding the estimation of costs:

4. The costs incurred by patients interviewed in intensive phase were similar to those incurred previously by those interviewed in continuation phase given similar characteristics: demographic, disease and treatment categories, and socioeconomic characteristics. These characteristics were used to estimate costs and productivity losses for the alternative (missing) phase of treatment

5. Likewise, costs incurred by patients interviewed in continuation phase were similar to those to be incurred in future by those interviewed in the Intensive phase given some similar characteristics as above

6. That the costs and productivity losses remained constant for the entire treatment phase

7. Where the patient was a child, the costs and productivity losses considered were those of the parent or primary guardian who was also assumed to be the treatment supporter

8. To value the time lost by guardians and treatment supporters using human capital approach, it was assumed that all workers earned the 2017 Kenya government stipulated minimum wage; which is standardized by urban or rural residence

9. Household expenditure remained constant despite income changes due to TB [32]

10. Discounting was not taken into consideration since the time horizon is 1 year

  1. DSTB drug-sensitive tuberculosis, NTP National TB Programme, TB tuberculosis