The cost of disease: economical consequences in the city of Salvador, BA, Brazil

Abstract

The economical consequences of mortality in the city of Salvador, Brazil, in 1970 were studied. A comparison was drawn between the cities of Salvador and Porto Alegre and the cost of the excess in Salvador was evaluated. The results showed that the economical losses associated with mortality from preventable diseases were important and lead to the conclusion that health service budgets should be considered as investments and not consumption expenditures.