[Relationship between disease burden and research funding through the Health Research Foundation in Spain]

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the relationship between burden of disease during 2007-2009 and public funding of research in health in Spain during 2008-2010.

Method: Descriptive cross-sectional study of burden of disease and funding allocated for research in diseases in the Spanish National Health System.

Results: A review was made of a total of 6,573 project titles funded for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. During this period, a total of 472.7 million Euros were assigned as grants for research projects. Malignant tumors and neuropsychiatric diseases were the illnesses with greatest funding support. During the study period, it was estimated that there was a total of 15,253,331.3 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in Spain, with neuropsychiatric diseases being the category representing most DALYs with 4,396,900 (28.8%). The relationship between funding and DALYs was obtained with a Pearson r equal to 0.759 (p<0.001). The study of congenital diseases had higher funding per DALY than any other disease with an investment of 290.4€/DALY. Among these, the study of cleft palate and esophageal atresia, with ratios of 3,432.7€/DALY and 3,387.6€/DALY respectively, obtained the greatest funding.

Conclusions: The study shows that the relative distribution of economic resources in the study period is consistent with the burden suffered by the Spanish population. This relationship is altered by the funding of the study of congenital anomalies, because of the low number of projects in this area.

Keywords: Años de vida perdidos por incapacidad; Cost of illness; Costo de enfermedad; Disability-adjusted life years; Financiación de la investigación; Mortalidad; Mortality; Proyectos de investigación; Research design; Research financing.