COSTS AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHANGING EPIDEMIOLOGIC PROFILE IN MEXICO

This article presents an analysis of health-care costs and financial c onsequences of changes in the epidemiological profile in Mexico. Four tracer diseases were selected to conduct this study: two non-communica ble diseases (arterial hypertension and diabetes) and two communicable ones (diarrhea and pneumonia). Costs involved in disease case-managem ent, both in economic and planning terms, predict the internal competi tion for resources to finance health services for each tracer disease. In addition, the change in the number of cases expected during the st udy period highlights the process of internal competition and adds an element of intrinsic competition in the management of ambulatory and h ospitalized cases for each disease. Study results support the conclusi on that if preventive programs remain unchanged, the increasing demand s for curative health care may cause great financial and organizationa l challenges to the health care system of middle-income countries like Mexico. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.