Table 4 Total cost (€) from six months to 18 months after discharge for the families of VLBWIs and FTIs (T₆-T₁₈)

Other hospitalisations

23.3

0.4

466 (1147)

6.9

0.1

265 (1,188)

t = 3.06

p < 0.0005

General practitioner consultation (Paediatric)

98.0

5.4

78 (70)

97.2

5.7

81 (75)

t = −0.35

n.s

Specialist visits (Follow-up as an outpatient at the birth hospital)

96.6

3.5

74 (49)

53.1

0.9

20 (23)

t = 12.06

p < 0.0005

Other specialist visits

54.0

1.6

33 (50)

15.8

0.2

4 (13)

t = 6.66

p < 0.0005

Drugs

83.3

104 (84)

86.2

10 (54.0)

t = 5.66

p < 0.0005

Laboratory tests

29.3

2.3

10 (22)

19.3

0.6

3 (10)

t = 3.23

p < 0.001

Diagnostic tests

28.0

0.6

33 (77)

8.9

0.1

4 (15)

t = 4.44

p < 0.0005

Rehabilitation therapy

12.6

1.2

13 (52)

1.4

0.3

4 (39)

t = 1.76

n.s

Psychological support

5.3

0.5

9 (89)

0.0

0.0

0.0

t = 1.25

n.s

Total cost funded by the public health System

820 (145)

391 (87)

t = 6.20

p < 0.0005

Costs funded by families

Drugs

13.5

109 (956)

15.3

11 (23)

t = 1.34

n.s

Paediatric visits

30.6

1.1

131 (268)

20.7

0.6

68 (170)

t = 2.43

p = 2.43

Other specialists visits

6.0

0.1

4 (20)

6.2

0.1

9 (44)

t = −1.21

n.s

Laboratory and diagnostic tests

2.0

0.1

1 (5)

1.4

0.0

0 (0)

t = 0.16

n.s

Rehabilitation therapy

0.6

0.1

0.0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

-

Paid informal care

43.4

1183 (355)

44.2

564 (257)

t = 1.71

n.s

Unpaid informal care

40.0

3617 (612)

37.0

3770 (615)

t = 0.35

n.s

Travelling

70.0

3.0

69 (85)

51.0

1.2

16 (23)

t = 7.23;

p < 0.000

Productivity losses

20.2

6323 (9848)

11.1

4373 (1135)

t = −0.19

n.s

Total cost funded by families and productivity losses

11,437 (2583)

8811 (2007)

t = 1.85

(p = 0.06)

Total societal cost (T₆-T₁₈)

12,257 (1896)

9202 (1476)

t = 2.27

p < 0.02