Exploring the tangible and intangible cost dimensions in global noncommunicable disease research using systematic content analysis

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and significantly affect healthcare costs due to long-term management and treatment. While the costs of NCDs can be both tangible and intangible, researchers often focus on tangible costs and ignore the associated intangible burden. Contributing to the gap, the study aims to comprehensively explore the NCDs-related costs in the health economics and social science research. Considering the qualitative nature of these aspects, the study analyses the contents of global literature of the past two and a half decades (2000–2025) to outline the various costs associated with NCDs. The literature for the content analysis is extracted from three databases- Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, using the SPIDER (Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research type) search strategy and following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Next, it employs the NVivo 14.0 software for the content analysis and IBM-SPSS to obtain Krippendorff’s alpha inter-rater reliability estimates. The results highlight that although individuals suffering from NCDs face tangible and intangible costs, only tangible costs are the primary focus of the existing research. Hence, the study provides new insights and advocates for advancing the research on intangible costs in this era of the alarming rise in NCDs cases. Further, the study also aids policymakers and stakeholders in adopting a pragmatic approach that covers multiple dimensions while framing schemes and policies to reduce healthcare costs.