The 2023 Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada: Indirect (Individual and Societal) and Direct Out-of-Pocket Costs

People living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their caregivers are faced with indirect and out-of-pocket costs that they would not otherwise experience. These costs impact one’s ability to contribute to the economy to their fullest potential. The indirect costs of IBD in Canada are estimated to be at least $1.51 billion in 2023 and include costs associated with lost productivity resulting from a combination of missed work (absenteeism), decreased workplace productivity (presenteeism), unemployment, premature mortality, and caregiving costs. Unemployment is the largest contributor to indirect costs ($1.14 billion), followed by costs of absenteeism and presenteeism ($285 million). Caregiving costs for children with IBD are estimated to be nearly $58 million. Canadians with IBD also pay $536 million every year for care that is not covered by universal or supplemental private health insurance; this includes allied healthcare (e.g., care provided by psychologists), medication, and other supportive therapy. Combined, the indirect and out-of-pocket costs of IBD in Canada are estimated at more than $2 billion CAD in 2023. This is substantially higher than the estimate of $1.29 billion in Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s 2018 Impact of IBD report with differences attributable to a combination of rising prevalence, inflation, and the addition of presenteeism and caregiving costs to the total indirect costs.Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is very costly to people with IBD and society. The cost of IBD includes drugs, hospital stays, and surgery. It also includes lost productivity and out-of-pocket costs. Lost productivity can be starting a career later in life, retiring early, or lost work for sick time. Out-of-pocket costs include costs for travel to clinics, dietary needs, or medical supplies not covered by insurance. There are many other costs for care for people with IBD. In this article, we review lost productivity and out-of-pocket costs for IBD. In Canada, in 2023, these costs were at least $1.51 billion. Unemployment among people with IBD totaled roughly $1.14 billion. Costs of lost work time totaled roughly $285 million. Costs for childcare for children with IBD totaled nearly $58 million. Canadians with IBD also pay $536 million yearly for care not covered insurance. Combined, these costs for IBD in Canada will be more than $2 billion this year. up from roughly $1.29 billion in 2018. This increase is because people have IBD, inflation, and additional costs of IBD.