ArticleHealth economics review2026
Cost analysis of financial, productivity, and informal care burdens in families raising children with congenital anomalies.
Article in Health economics review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCongenital anomalies represent a major cause of childhood morbidity and disability, imposing long-term health, social, and financial challenges. While medical expenditures are relatively well-documented, evidence on the broader financial and social impact on families-particularly in Central and Eastern Europe-remains limited. Accordingly, this study aimed to quantify the economic burden associated with congenital anomalies from a caregiver perspective.
methodsA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted in Lithuania in 2023 among 160 caregivers of children aged 5-18 years diagnosed with congenital anomalies. Participants were grouped by the number of affected organ systems to reflect the increasing disease complexity. Using standardized cost-of-illness methodology and both the human capital and opportunity cost approaches, we estimated annual direct medical and non-medical, indirect, and informal care costs.
resultsFamilies experienced a substantial and multidimensional financial burden that intensified with disease severity. The annual indirect cost, mainly reflecting productivity losses, represented the largest component of the total economic burden, with a median of €7,566 overall and €12,965 in the most severely affected families. Out-of-pocket payments were also considerable, with a median of €2,040 per year; in the most severe group they exceeded 20% of monthly household income for 42% of families. The economic value of informal care represented a smaller yet meaningful portion of total costs (median €1,967), increasing more than fivefold between the mildest and most severe groups.
conclusionsCongenital anomalies place a substantial economic burden on families, extending far beyond healthcare expenses. These findings highlight the need for policies that improve financial protection, support caregivers' labor market participation, and acknowledge the economic value of informal care within health and welfare systems.
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Registered trials
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