Related Experiment Videos
[Cost-effectiveness analysis of a preventive program for gallbladder disease in Chile]
Klaus Puschel1, Sean Sullivan, Joaquín Montero
1Programa de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. kpuschel@hotmail.com
Revista Medica De Chile
|July 2, 2002
Summary
Implementing gallbladder disease screening for Chilean women significantly reduces mortality and increases life expectancy. Universal screening with elective intervention offers the greatest benefits at a low cost-effectiveness ratio.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Medical Economics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Gallstone disease poses a high mortality risk for Chilean women.
- Primary prevention strategies are lacking, and prophylactic cholecystectomy benefits remain unstudied in high-risk groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a gallbladder disease screening program for Chilean women.
- To compare different screening strategies against standard care.
Main Methods:
- A decision analytic model was employed to assess lifetime costs and effectiveness.
- Three screening strategies were modeled: universal ultrasound screening with elective or high-risk intervention, and selective screening for obese women.
Main Results:
- Universal screening/elective intervention reduced gallbladder disease mortality by 70% and increased life expectancy by 5.25 months.
- High-risk intervention and selective screening yielded 63% and 18% mortality reductions, respectively.
- Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were US$180, US$147, and US$481 for the respective strategies.
Conclusions:
- Gallbladder disease screening in high-risk populations is beneficial.
- Screening programs demonstrate significant health gains at low incremental costs.
- The analyzed strategies offer acceptable cost-effectiveness for public health implementation.