Objective To estimate the socio-economic burden caused by various types of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) cases in Guangdong province from 2015 to 2023.

Methods On the basis of the previous studies of disease economic burden and the data of HFMD reported in Guangdong from 2015 to 2023, the economic burdens of common cases (including outpatients and inpatients), severe cases, and death cases of HFMD were estimated. The per capita productivity loss caused by premature death of HFMD in different age groups was calculated by the human capital method.

Results From 2015 to 2023, a total of 2 727 381 cases of HFMD were reported in Guangdong province, with 99.96% classified as common cases, 932 severe cases, and 33 death cases. The annual economic loss attributable to HFMD in Guangdong province during this period remained stable at 357 million–523 million CNY, except for a notable decrease between 2020 and 2022, when it was estimated at 76 million–370 million CNY. The economic burden of common cases accounted for 99.38%. The economic burden of severe cases accounted for 0.59%, showing a fluctuating downward trend from 5 million CNY in 2015 to 0.756 3 million CNY in 2023. The economic burden associated with death cases accounted for 1.03%, exhibiting a declining trend from 6 million CNY in 2015 to no death in 2022–2023, with premature death losses constituting 98.41%–98.66% of total death losses.

Conclusions The socio-economic burden caused by HFMD in Guangdong province has been generally stable from 2015 to 2023, apart from a decline in 2020–2022. The burden was mainly attributable to common cases, and the disease burden of severe and death cases decreased with fluctuations. It is recommended that we should closely monitor changes in the composition of the economic burden of HFMD and adjust prevention and control strategies accordingly.