[Cost-benefit analysis of the program on early detection of pulmonary diseases]

Economic evaluation of costs and effectiveness of the program aimed at early detection of lung diseases was the subject of the study. The scope of the study is related to the European tendency of creating information resources for public resources management.

The study covered more than 14 000 people divided into three age groups, living in 11 localities in the Lódź region. The program aimed at lung diseases detection was conducted in three steps: first specialist examinations, X-ray examinations, second specialist examinations. Costs and effectiveness of the program were compared by cost/effectiveness and incremental ratios.

The results of the study were formulated in the following areas: costs of the program by age groups and groups with suspected diseases, effects of the program, costs per one detected case and incremental ratios.

The results of the study show that economic evaluation conducted from ex post perspective could be useful in building decision scenarios. Sensitivity analysis allows for investigating how different assumptions of variables influence the study results. Variables useful for the scenarios of early lung diseases detection programs were identified for further studies.