The epidemiological and economic burden of diabetes in Ghana: A scoping review to inform health technology assessment

Diabetes remains one of the four major causes of morbidity and mortality globally among non-communicable diseases (NCDs. It is predicted to increase in sub–Saharan Africa by over 50% by 2045. The aim of this study is to identify, map and estimate the burden of diabetes in Ghana, which is essential for optimising NCD country policy and understanding existing knowledge gaps to guide future research in this area. We followed the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews. We searched electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane and African Index Medicus following a systematic search strategy. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews was followed when reporting the results. A total of 36 studies were found to fulfil the inclusion criteria. The reported prevalence of diabetes at national level in Ghana ranged between 2.80%– 3.95%. At the regional level, the Western region reported the highest prevalence of diabetes: 39.80%, followed by Ashanti region (25.20%) and Central region at 24.60%. The prevalence of diabetes was generally higher in women in comparison to men. Urban areas were found to have a higher prevalence of diabetes than rural areas. The mean annual financial cost of managing one diabetic case at the outpatient clinic was estimated at GHS 540.35 (2021 US $194.09). There was a paucity of evidence on the overall economic burden and the regional prevalence burden. Ghana is faced with a considerable burden of diabetes which varies by region and setting (urban/rural). There is an urgent need for effective and efficient interventions to prevent the anticipated elevation in burden of disease through the utilisation of existing evidence and proven priority-setting tools like Health Technology Assessment (HTA).