Table 1.
General characteristics of studies included under review
| Study characteristic | Number | Reference index in Additional file 3* |
|---|---|---|
| Year of publication | ||
| 2006–2010 | 8 | 5,8,9,11,13,18,22,25 |
| After 2010 | 18 | 1,2,3,6,7,4,10,12,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,23,24,26 |
| Year of costing | ||
| 2000–2005 | 7 | 8,9,11,13,18,21,24 |
| 2006–2010 | 6 | 1,6,12,14,17,22 |
| After 2010 | 9 | 3,7,10,15,16,19,23,25,26 |
| Not clear | 4 | 2,4,5,20 |
| No of African countries included in study | ||
| One | 22 | 1,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,22,23,25,25,26 |
| More than one | 4 | 2,3,13,19 |
| Region | ||
| Central Africa | 2 | 14.19 |
| Eastern Africa | 6 | 5,6,11,16,19,23 |
| Northern Africa | 2 | 4, 8 |
| Southern Africa | 5 | 3,15,17,21,26 |
| Western Africa | 13 | 1,2,3,7,9,10,12,18,19,20,22,24,25 |
| WHO African region | 1 | 13 |
| Cost Indicators | ||
| Direct | 26 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 |
| Indirect costs | 2 | 4.13 |
| Perspective | ||
| Not specified | 10 | 4,5,7,8,9,11,16,17,21, 24 |
| Family/patient | 7 | 2,10,12,14,18,19,20 |
| Societal | 4 | 3,13,15,25 |
| Health system/institution | 2 | 22.23 |
| Health system and patient | 2 | 1.6 |
| Government | 1 | 26 |
| DM type | ||
| Type 1 | 1 | 19 |
| Type 2 | 11 | 1,2,3,7,8,12,14,15,16,20,26 |
| Type 1 and Type 2 | 9 | 4,5,10,11,13,18,22,24,25 |
| Not specified | 5 | 6,9,17,21,23 |
| Sample sizes | ||
| n.a | 2 | 2.6 |
| not specified | 2 | 19.23 |
| 1–100 | 6 | 7,12,15,18,21,24 |
| 101–1000 | 12 | 1,8,9,10,11,14,16,17,20,22,25,26 |
| 1001–2000 | 1 | 5 |
| > 1000 000 | 3 | 3,4,13 |
| Epidemiological approaches | ||
| Prevalence | 25 | 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 |
| Incidence | 1 | 3 |
| Study focus | ||
| General costs | 21 | 1,2,3,4,5,8,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 |
| Diabetic foot ulcer | 3 | 6,7,18 |
| Drugs | 2 | 9.14 |
| Cost data source | ||
| Hospital or medical centre | 13 | 1,2,5,6,7, 9,11,17,19,21,22,23,24 |
| Patients | 3 | 8,16, 20 |
| Not clear | 3 | 14,18,25 |
| Hospital plus other government institutions | 1 | 12 |
| Patients plus hospital | 1 | 10 |
| Who publications and various individual country services | 1 | 13 |
| Various data sources | 4 | 3, 4, 15, 26 |
*One study can fall into more than one category