%0 Journal Article
%T Young Stroke Mortality in Fiji Islands: An Economic Analysis of National Human Capital Resource Loss
%A Jagdish C. Maharaj
%A Mahendra Reddy
%J ISRN Neurology
%D 2012
%R 10.5402/2012/802785
%X Introduction. The objective of this study was to perform an economic analysis in terms of annual national human capital resource loss from young stroke mortality in Fiji. The official retirement age is 55 years in Fiji. Method. Stroke mortality data, for working-age group 15¨C55 years, obtained from the Ministry of Health and per capita national income figure for the same year was utilised to calculate the total output loss for the economy. The formula of output loss from the economy was used. Results. There were 273 stroke deaths of which 53.8% were of working-age group. The annual national human capital loss from stroke mortality for Fiji for the year was calculated to be F$8.85 million (US$5.31 million). The highest percentage loss from stroke mortality was from persons in their forties; that is, they still had more then 10 years to retirement. Discussion. This loss equates to one percent of national government revenue and 9.7% of Ministry of Health budget for the same year. The annual national human capital loss from stroke mortality is an important dimension in the overall economic equation of total economic burden of stroke. Conclusion. This study demonstrates a high economic burden for Fiji from stroke mortality of young adults in terms of annual national human capital loss. 1. Introduction ˇ°Stroke is a cause of poverty and is caused by povertyˇ± [1]. The epidemiological changes through advances in socioeconomic developments and changing demographics have altered the profile of the major causes of mortality and morbidity. Fiji is undergoing transition as is occurring in most other developing regions of the world. Rapid urbanization and globalisation have brought changes in life styles that have produced a surge in mortality and morbidity noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases including stroke and ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and mental disorders. NCDs account for 62% of all deaths and 50% of the disability burden in the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific region [ 2] and are at the point of a global crisis [ 3]. Several reports in the literature implicate stroke as the third leading cause of death and an important cause of hospital admission and long-term disability [ 4¨C 6]. Over the decades some decline in stroke mortality has also been reported [ 7¨C 9]. Stroke incidence ranges between 7 and 15 per 100,000 people/year [10] to 8.63 to 19.12 per 100,000 people/year [11] with substantial global variation in the relative burden of stroke [12]. Increasing burden of
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.neurology/2012/802785/