Formulas for estimating the costs averted by sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs in the United States

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs can mitigate the health and economic burden of STIs. A tool to estimate the economic benefits of STI programs could prove useful to STI program personnel.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We developed formulas that can be applied to estimate the direct medical costs and indirect costs (lost productivity) averted by STI programs in the United States. Costs and probabilities for these formulas were based primarily on published studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a series of formulas that can be used to estimate the economic benefits of STI prevention (in 2006 US dollars), using data routinely collected by STI programs. For example, the averted sequelae costs associated with treating women for chlamydia is given as (C_w)(0.16)(0.925)(0.70)($1,995), where C_wis the number of infected women treated for chlamydia, 0.16 is the absolute reduction in the probability of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) as a result of treatment, 0.925 is an adjustment factor to prevent double-counting of PID averted in women with both chlamydia and gonorrhea, 0.70 is an adjustment factor to account for the possibility of re-infection, and$1,995 is the average cost per case of PID, based on published sources.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The formulas developed in this study can be a useful tool for STI program personnel to generate evidence-based estimates of the economic impact of their program and can facilitate the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of their activities.</p

Cost-effectiveness of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in the United States

Results of a simplified model were consistent with published studies based on more complex models when key assumptions were similar

The cost-effectiveness of the WINGS intervention: a program to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases among high-risk urban women

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the WINGS project, an intervention to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among urban women at high risk for sexual acquisition of HIV. METHODS: We used standard methods of cost-effectiveness analysis. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the intervention's cost and we used a simplified model of HIV transmission to estimate the number of HIV infections averted by the intervention. We calculated cost-effectiveness ratios for the complete intervention and for the condom use skills component of the intervention. RESULTS: Under base case assumptions, the intervention prevented an estimated 0.2195 new cases of HIV at a cost of $215,690 per case of HIV averted. When indirect costs of HIV were excluded from the analysis, the intervention's cost-effectiveness ratios were$357,690 per case of HIV averted and $31,851 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) saved. Under base case assumptions, the condom use skills component of the intervention prevented an estimated 0.1756 HIV infections and was cost-saving. When indirect HIV costs were excluded, the cost-effectiveness ratios for the condom use skills component of the intervention were$97,404 per case of HIV averted and $8,674 per QALY saved. CONCLUSIONS: The WINGS intervention, particularly the two sessions of the intervention which focussed on condom use skills, could be cost-effective in preventing HIV among women

Hopes and Fears: the Conflicting Effects of Risk Ambiguity

Ambiguity, Risk, Ellsberg Paradox,

Commonalities in Time and Ambiguity Aversion for Long-Term Risks *

Ambiguity, Discounting, Ellsberg Paradox, Risk, Uncertainty,