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Cost-effectiveness of routine and group programs for treatment of obese children

Marja Kalavainen1, Senja Karjalainen, Janne Martikainen

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. marja.kalavainen@kuh.fi

Pediatrics International : Official Journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
|May 15, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Family-based group treatment for childhood obesity is more expensive than routine counseling. While more effective, the higher costs, primarily from salaries, need consideration for resource allocation.

Area of Science:

  • Health Economics
  • Pediatric Obesity Treatment
  • Intervention Studies

Background:

  • Cost-effectiveness analysis is crucial for optimizing healthcare resource allocation.
  • Obese children require effective interventions, with group treatment previously showing higher efficacy.
  • This study compares the cost-effectiveness of group versus routine counseling for pediatric obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the cost-effectiveness of family-based group treatment versus routine counseling for obese children.
  • To determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for both interventions.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective 6-month intervention study comparing family-based group treatment with routine counseling.
  • Outcome measures included changes in weight for height and body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS).
  • Cost-effectiveness was analyzed from the service provider's perspective, calculating ICERs.

Main Results:

  • Group treatment incurred higher costs per unit of weight-for-height decrease and BMI-SDS decrease compared to routine counseling.
  • Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were €53 per 1% weight-for-height decrease and €266-€275 per 0.1 BMI-SDS decrease.
  • Higher costs for group treatment were observed both at the end of the intervention and at 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

  • Family-based group treatment for childhood obesity is more costly than individual routine counseling.
  • Salaries constitute the majority of the total costs associated with the group treatment program.
  • The findings highlight the trade-off between effectiveness and cost in pediatric obesity interventions.
Abstract

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