Objective

To describe the approach of cost of illness within the theoretical models of chronic non communicable disease (NCD)

Methodology

A systematic literature review was carried by defining observational parameters guided by the key words "theoretical, models" , "chronic disease" and "cost of illness" in 14 databases as Scielo, Medline, Science direct, Infotrac Health Reference Center Academic, including indexed publications of quantitative, qualitative, analysis and review articles, their publication language with an open time definition.

Results

20 registered publications were found ranging from 2005 to 2012. Within these publications three groups emerged in the way they approach the burden or illness cost. They include: a group based on a caring paradigm, a group based on an economic paradigm understood as a set of the disease appear and their financial impact and a third group that with an eclectic approach that combined some of the economic aspects as well as some of the experiences of living and caring in situations of NCDs.

Conclusions

The theoretical models of chronic disease evidenced by this systematic search indicates that the concept of cost of illness is grouped into three: the view from the approach of burden of care; the economic approach focused on the disease and its financial impact and the mixed approach that takes aspects of the previous two. Comparing these findings with the literature confirms the groups founded and suggested the need to make explicit the utilized paradigm within in the conceptualization of the cost of illness while approaching NCDs.