Chapter 9. Sensitivity tests

Alternative situations that the findings in the foregoing chapter had suggested might have a bearing on the optimum programme are described in some detail. Two variations were introduced-one varying the size of the total budget for tuberculosis control and the proportion of this budget allocated to supplies, and the other varying the time-horizon for future effects of the current programme. Further, two basic assumptions in the model as applied to tuberculosis control in the Republic of Korea were varied within a wide range to test the sensitivity of the model to erroneous (or changing) estimated parameters. Both the rate used to discount future economic gain and the estimated preventive effectiveness (E) assigned to chemotherapy and BCG vaccination in the various age groups were varied. The resource allocation model as a planning tool and its use by the public health administrator in decision-making through the examination of possible alternatives are discussed.