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Life expectancy and the value of early detection
1Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Room 610, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. david.howard@emory.edu
Journal of Health Economics
|September 1, 2005
Summary
This study models early disease detection costs and benefits by age. It finds that for older individuals, particularly over age 70, the costs of screening outweigh the benefits, making it not cost-effective.
Area of Science:
- Health economics
- Medical decision-making
- Preventive medicine
Background:
- Early detection of asymptomatic diseases aims to improve outcomes.
- The cost-effectiveness of screening varies significantly with patient age.
- Competing causes of mortality influence the benefits of early detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a model evaluating the age-dependent benefits and costs of early disease detection.
- To determine the age threshold beyond which early detection becomes less cost-effective.
- To apply the model to prostate cancer screening.
Main Methods:
- A mathematical model was constructed to quantify benefits and costs.
- Model parameters included disease incidence, competing mortality risks, and detection costs.
- Prostate cancer screening served as a case study for model application.
Main Results:
- Benefits of early detection decrease as the risk of death from other causes increases.
- Costs per detected case decrease with age, assuming rising incidence.
- An age limit exists where detection costs exceed benefits.
Conclusions:
- Early detection is not universally cost-effective across all age groups.
- For prostate cancer screening, early detection appears not cost-effective for individuals over 70.
- Age-specific analysis is crucial for optimizing screening strategies.
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