Cost effectiveness of brief interventions for reducing alcohol consumption

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Hazardous alcohol consumption poses significant public health challenges.
• Primary care settings offer opportunities for early intervention.
• Quantifying the cost-effectiveness of such interventions is crucial for resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the direct costs and health effects of a primary care-based brief intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption.
• To determine the cost per life year saved by the intervention.
• To compare the intervention's cost-effectiveness with existing health promotion strategies.

Main Methods:

• Calculated intervention costs including marketing, training, and physician time.
• Estimated health outcomes in life years saved, based on national implementation projections and evidence on alcohol's health effects.
• Utilized international trial data on resource requirements and effectiveness, combined with Australian cost data.
• Performed sensitivity analysis to ensure model robustness.

Main Results:

• The cost of screening and brief advice ranged from Aus$19.14 to Aus$21.50 per person.
• The marginal cost per additional life year saved was below Aus$1873.
• The intervention demonstrated high cost-effectiveness compared to other health promotion strategies.

Conclusions:

• The primary care-based brief intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption is a cost-effective public health strategy.
• The intervention offers a favorable balance of low cost and significant health gains (life years saved).
• This approach presents a highly encouraging and economically viable option for addressing alcohol-related harm.