Op weg naar maatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyses voor preventie en zorg : Themarapport Volksgezondheid Toekomst Verkenning 2014

Een maatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyse (MKBA) biedt een overzicht van de voor- en nadelen van een maatregel, zoals de aanleg van een weg of woonwijk. Door deze voor- en nadelen zoveel mogelijk te kwantificeren en in euro's uit te drukken, geeft een MKBA inzicht in het effect van de maatregel op de welvaart in Nederland. Met die informatie kan een MKBA de politieke besluitvorming ondersteunen en verhelderen. Om de kwaliteit en de vergelijkbaarheid van MKBA's te waarborgen hebben het Centraal Planbureau (CPB) en het Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving (PBL) in 2013 een algemene MKBA-leidraad opgesteld. De ministeries zullen de komende jaren werkwijzers maken, waarin de principes van de algemene leidraad worden geconcretiseerd voor het eigen beleidsterrein. Dit rapport van het RIVM is bedoeld als een eerste stap om te komen tot zo'n werkwijzer voor volksgezondheid en zorg. In het rapport laten we zien wat de consequenties zijn als vanuit de MKBA-methode naar dit terrein wordt gekeken. Een goede MKBA kan ook op het terrein van volksgezondheid en zorg een bijdrage leveren aan de beleidsvoorbereiding en de besluitvorming. Daarvoor moeten nog wel enkele methodologische aspecten nader uitgewerkt en bediscussieerd worden. Belangrijke thema's daarbij zijn: effecten op de verdeling van welvaart tussen groepen mensen, de waarde van gezondheid in euro's, het kwantificeren van arbeidsbaten en het waarderen van toekomstige baten (de 'discontovoet'). In dit rapport signaleert en expliciteert het RIVM de belangrijkste vragen en dilemma's waarop de werkwijzer een antwoord moet geven

Cost of illness in the Netherlands

Health care professionals, policy makers and politicians have urgent needs for systematic information about national health care expenditure. The study Cost of Illness in the Netherlands has been performed for the third time and presents information about the relationship between health care use, measured as costs, and what matters most: the health of the population. Previous studies reported cost of illness estimates for the years 1988 en 1994. This study provides a comprehensive overview of Dutch health care costs in 1999. Total health care costs were attributed to health care sectors and providers, diseases, age groups and gender. The results of this analysis can be used for answering questions such as: 'On what type of health care do we spend our money?' And: 'how are these costs distributed among various illnesses and diseases?' But also: 'how much money do we need for healthcare in the future and for resolving waiting lists?' Researchers and policy makers may use the information of this study as a tool to explore the desired future characteristics and volumes of the Dutch health care system.In Nederland werd in 1999 ongeveer 36 miljard euro aan gezondheidszorg uitgegeven. Dat bedrag zal de komende jaren stijgen onder invloed van toenemende medische mogelijkheden en de vergrijzing van de bevolking. Om vast te stellen of al dat geld zo goed mogelijk wordt besteed, moet eerst bekend zijn waar dat geld precies aan wordt besteed. Dit rapport geeft een antwoord op die laatste vraag. Beschreven wordt hoe het zorggebruik van de Nederlandse gezondheidszorg in 1999 was verdeeld over ziekten, mannen en vrouwen, verschillende leeftijdsgroepen en zorgsectoren. Ook wordt beschreven hoe de kosten van de gezondheidszorg zich in de afgelopen jaren hebben ontwikkeld, en hoe zij zich in de toekomst naar verwachting zullen ontwikkelen. In dit rapport wordt tevens een eerste aanzet gegeven om de kosten ook te verdelen naar risicofactoren achter de ziekten. Verder wordt een vergelijking gemaakt met andere kosten van ziektenstudies uit binnen- en buitenland. Voor de interpretatie van verschillen tussen KVZ-cijfers wordt een algemene checklist van 10 punten gepresenteerd. Tenslotte worden de uitkomsten in een breder perspectief geplaatst door een vergelijking van de kosten met andere gevolgen van ziekte zoals sterfte, ziekteverzuim en arbeidsongeschiktheid

Social differences in health care utilisation and costs in the Netherlands 2003

Within the Netherlands, there are substantial social inequalities in care consumption and health care costs. People differ in terms of their use of care facilities. This is influenced by factors such as their socio-economic position, mode of cohabitation and country of origin. The present study reveals that this effect is even more pronounced than previous research has indicated. Social inequalities were identified in the use of virtually all types of care facilities. These inequalities are also substantial when translated into health care costs. In terms of costs per resident, it is estimated that individuals with an HBO qualification (professionally oriented higher education) or a university degree are 11% below the national average, while those who only received a primary-school education are 21% above that level. The average care costs of widowed individuals and divorcees are 31% and 48% above the national average, respectively. Conversely, the cost of care for people of non-Western origin are relatively low, but they are still 15% above the national average. It is worth noting that the same percentage applies to non-indigenous individuals of Western (mainly European) origin. The main reason for this is that lower socio-economic groups have more health problems. So, this study concludes that each euro spent on health care generally ends up in the right place, i.e. where there is the greatest need for care. This underscores the enormous importance of risk solidarity in the Dutch health service. This study also illustrate the fact that combating health deprivation can help us to manage the level of care expenditure in the Netherlands.Ieder jaar wordt in Nederland veel geld uitgegeven aan de gezondheidszorg. In 2003 ging het om een bedrag van 57,5 miljard euro. De serie Zorg voor euro's beschrijft waaraan dit geld werd uitgegeven, hoeveel gezondheid we ervoor hebben teruggekregen en ook hoe de zorguitgaven zich in de toekomst zullen ontwikkelen. Dit rapport laat in detail zien hoe gebruik en kosten van zorg in Nederland samenhangen met de sociaal-economische positie, de samenlevingsvorm en het land van herkomst van mensen. Zo blijkt dat mensen uit lagere sociaal-economische groepen aanzienlijk meer zorg gebruiken dan mensen uit andere groepen. Dit verschil komt vooral doordat mensen in lagere sociaal-economische groepen meer gezondheidsproblemen hebben. Tegelijkertijd blijken mensen uit deze groepen bij ziekte ook langer beroep te doen op zorgvoorzieningen. Dit betekent dat de bestrijding van gezondheidsachterstanden een bijdrage kan leveren aan de beheersing van de zorguitgaven

Health care utilization in the elderly Mexican population: Expenditures and determinants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Worldwide population aging has been considered one of the most important demographic phenomena, and is frequently referred as a determinant of health costs and expenditures. These costs are an effect either of the aging process itself (social) or because of the increase that comes with older age (individual).</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To analyze health expenditures and its determinants in a sample of Mexican population, for three dimensions acute morbidity, ambulatory care and hospitalization focusing on different age groups, particularly the elderly.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A secondary analysis of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), 2006 was conducted. A descriptive analysis was performed to establish a health profile by socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models were estimated to determine the relation between acute morbidity, ambulatory care, hospitalization and age group; to establish the determinants of hospitalization among the population 60 years and older; and to determine hospitalization expenditures by age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Higher proportion of elderly reporting health problems was found. Average expenditures of hospitalization in households were $240.6 am dlls, whereas in households exclusively with elderly the expenditure was$308.9 am dlls, the highest among the considered age groups. The multivariate analysis showed higher probability of being hospitalized among the elderly, but not for risks for acute morbidity and ambulatory care. Among the elderly, older age, being male or living in a city or in a metro area implied a higher probability of hospitalization during the last year, with chronic diseases playing a key role in hospitalization.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The conditions associated with age, such as chronic diseases, have higher weight than age itself; therefore, they are responsible for the higher expenditures reported. Conclusions point towards a differentiated use and intensity of health services depending on age. The projected increase in hospitalization and health care needs for this group requires immediate attention.</p

The impact of healthcare costs in the last year of life and in all life years gained on the cost-effectiveness of cancer screening

It is under debate whether healthcare costs related to death and in life years gained (LysG) due to life saving interventions should be included in economic evaluations. We estimated the impact of including these costs on cost-effectiveness of cancer screening. We obtained health insurance, home care, nursing homes, and mortality data for 2.1 million inhabitants in the Netherlands in 1998–1999. Costs related to death were approximated by the healthcare costs in the last year of life (LastYL), by cause and age of death. Costs in LYsG were estimated by calculating the healthcare costs in any life year. We calculated the change in cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs) if unrelated healthcare costs in the LastYL or in LYsG would be included. Costs in the LastYL were on average 33% higher for persons dying from cancer than from any cause. Including costs in LysG increased the CER by €4040 in women, and by €4100 in men. Of these, €660 in women, and €890 in men, were costs in the LastYL. Including unrelated healthcare costs in the LastYL or in LYsG will change the comparative cost-effectiveness of healthcare programmes. The CERs of cancer screening programmes will clearly increase, with approximately €4000. However, because of the favourable CER's, including unrelated healthcare costs will in general have limited policy implications

Sharp upturn of life expectancy in the Netherlands: effect of more health care for the elderly?

During the 1980s and 1990s life expectancy at birth has risen only slowly in the Netherlands. In 2002, however, the rise in life expectancy suddenly accelerated. We studied the possible causes of this remarkable development. Mortality data by age, gender and cause of death were analyzed using life table methods and age-period-cohort modeling. Trends in determinants of mortality (including health care delivery) were compared with trends in mortality. Two-thirds of the increase in life expectancy at birth since 2002 were due to declines in mortality among those aged 65 and over. Declines in mortality reflected a period rather than a cohort effect, and were seen for a wide range of causes of death. Favorable changes in mortality determinants coinciding with the acceleration of mortality decline were mainly seen within the health care system. Health care expenditure rose rapidly after 2001, and was accompanied by a sharp rise of specialist visits, drug prescriptions, hospital admissions and surgical procedures among the elderly. A decline of deaths following non-treatment decisions suggests a change towards more active treatment of elderly patients. Our findings are consistent with the idea that the sharp upturn of life expectancy in the Netherlands was at least partly due to a sharp increase in health care for the elderly, and has been facilitated by a relaxation of budgetary constraints in the health care system

How Work Impairments and Reduced Work Ability are Associated with Health Care Use in Workers with Musculoskeletal Disorders, Cardiovascular Disorders or Mental Disorders

__Abstract__ Purpose the aim of this study was to explore how work impairments and work ability are associated with health care use by workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), cardiovascular disorders (CVD), or mental disorders (MD). Methods in this cross-sectional study, subjects with MSD (n = 2,074), CVD (n = 714), and MD (n = 443) were selected among health care workers in 12 Dutch organizations. Using an online questionnaire, data were collected on in

Systematic development of a self-regulation weight-management intervention for overweight adults

Background. This paper describes the systematic development of an intervention for the prevention of obesity among overweight adults. Its development was guided by the six steps of Intervention Mapping (IM), in which the establishment of program needs, objectives and methods is followed by development of the intervention and an implementation and evaluation plan. Methods. Weight gain prevention can be achieved by making small changes in dietary intake (DI) or physical activity (PA). The intervention objectives, derived from self-regulation theory, were to establish goal-oriented behaviour. They were translated into a computer-tailored Internet-delivered intervention consisting of four modules. The intervention includes strategies to target the main determinants of self-regulation, such as feedback and action planning. The first module is intended to ensure adults' commitment to preventing weight gain, choosing behaviour change and action initiation. The second and third modules are intended to evaluate behaviour change, and to adapt action and coping plans. The fourth module is intended to maintain self-regulation of body weight without use of the program. The intervention is being evaluated for its efficacy in an RCT, whose protocol is described in this paper. Primary outcomes are weight, waist circumference and skin-fold thickness. Other outcomes are DI, PA, cognitive mediators and self-regulation skills. Discussion. The IM protocol helped us integrating insights from various theories. The performance objectives and methods were guided by self-regulation theory but empirical evidence with regard to the effectiveness of theoretical methods was limited. Sometimes, feasibility issues made it necessary to deviate from the original, theory-based plans. With this paper, we provide transparency with regard to intervention development and evaluation. Trial registration. NTR1862

Obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and years lived with disability: A Sullivan life table approach

Background: To avoid strong declines in the quality of life due to population ageing, and to ensure sustainability of the health care system, reductions in the burden of disability among elderly populations are urgently needed. Life style interventions may help to reduce the years lived with one or more disabilities, but it is not fully understood which life style factor has the largest potential for such reductions. Therefore, the primary aim of this paper is to compare the effect of BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption on life expectancy with disability, using the Sullivan life table method. A secondary aim is to assess potential improvement of the Sullivan method by using information on the association of disability with time to death. Methods. Data from the Dutch Permanent Survey of the Living Situation (POLS) 1997-1999 with mortality follow-up until 2006 (n = 6,446) were used. Using estimated relative mortality risks by risk factor exposure, separate life tables were constructed for groups defined in terms of BMI, smoking status and alcohol consumption. Logistic regression models were fitted to predict the prevalence of ADL and mobility disabilities in relationship to age and risk factor exposure. Using the Sullivan method, predicted age-specific prevalence rates were included in the life table to calculate years lived with disability at age 55. In further analysis we assessed whether adding information on time to death in both the regression models and the life table estimates would lead to substantive changes in the results. Results: Life expectancy at age 55 differed by 1.4 years among groups defined in terms of BMI, 4.0 years by smoking status, and 3.0 years by alcohol consumption. Years lived with disability differed by 2.8 years according to BMI, 0.2 years by smoking and 1.6 by alcohol consumption. Obese persons could expect to live more years with disability (5.9 years) than smokers (3.8 years) and drinkers (3.1 years). Employing information on time to death led to lower estimates of years lived with disability, and to smaller differences in these years according to BMI (2.1 years), alcohol (1.2 years), and smoking (0.1 years). Conclusions: Compared with smoking and drinking alcohol, obesity is most strongly associated with an increased risk of spending many years of life with disability. Although employing information on the relation of disability with time to death improves the precision of Sullivan life table estimates, the relative importance of risk factors remained unchanged

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of 'BeweegKuur', a combined lifestyle intervention in the Netherlands: Rationale, design and methods of a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Improving the lifestyle of overweight and obese adults is of increasing interest in view of its role in several chronic diseases. Interventions aiming at overweight or weight-related chronic diseases suffer from high drop-out rates. It has been suggested that Motivational Interviewing and more frequent and more patient-specific coaching could decrease the drop-out rate. 'BeweegKuur' is a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention which offers three programmes for overweight persons. The effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of intensively guided programmes, such as the 'supervised exercise programme' of 'BeweegKuur', for patients with high weight-related health risk, remain to be assessed. Our randomized controlled trial compares the expenses and effects of the 'supervised exercise programme' with those of the less intensively supervised 'start-up exercise programme'.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The one-year intervention period involves coaching by a lifestyle advisor, a physiotherapist and a dietician, coordinated by general practitioners (GPs). The participating GP practices have been allocated to the interventions, which differ only in terms of the amount of coaching offered by the physiotherapist. Whereas the 'start-up exercise programme' includes several consultations with physiotherapists to identify barriers hampering independent exercising, the 'supervised exercise programme' includes more sessions with a physiotherapist, involving exercise under supervision. The main goal is transfer to local exercise facilities. The main outcome of the study will be the participants' physical activity at the end of the one-year intervention period and after one year of follow-up. Secondary outcomes are dietary habits, health risk, physical fitness and functional capacity. The economic evaluation will consist of a cost-effectiveness analysis and a cost-utility analysis. The primary outcome measures for the economic evaluation will be the physical activity and the number of quality-adjusted life years. Costs will be assessed from a societal perspective with a time horizon of two years. Additionally, a process evaluation will be used to evaluate the performance of the intervention and the participants' evaluation of the intervention.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study is expected to provide information regarding the additional costs and effects of the 'supervised exercise programme' in adults with very high weight-related health risk.</p> <p>Trial registration number</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN46574304">ISRCTN46574304</a></p