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Economic Evaluation of a Web-Based Guided Self-Help Intervention for Employees With Depressive Symptoms: Results of a
Anna S Geraedts1, Johanna M van Dongen, Annet M Kleiboer
1From the Department of Clinical Psychology and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (Drs Geraedts, Kleiboer, and Cuijpers), VU University Amsterdam; Body@Work Research Center Physical Activity, Work and Health (Drs Geraedts, Kleiboer, Wiezer, van Mechelen, and Cuijpers), TNO-VU-VUmc, Amsterdam; Department of Health Sciences and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (Drs van Dongen and Bosmans), VU University Amsterdam; TNO (Dr Wiezer), Hoofddorp; and Department of Public and Occupational Health Psychology and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (Dr van Mechelen), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Objective:
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a Web-based guided intervention compared with care as usual for employees with depressive symptoms.
Methods:
A total of 231 employees with depressive symptoms were randomized. Data were collected at baseline, 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. Analyses were conducted from the societal and employer's perspective.
Results:
At 12 months, a significant intervention effect on depressive symptoms was found. At a willingness to pay of 0 (€/unit of effect), the intervention's probabilities of cost-effectiveness were 0.62 (societal perspective) and 0.55 (employer's perspective). There was a 0.63 probability that the intervention resulted in a positive financial return for the employer.
Conclusions:
The intervention's cost-effectiveness with regard to depressive symptoms depends on the willingness to pay of societal and company decision makers as well as the probability of cost-effectiveness that they consider acceptable. The intervention is not cost-saving to the employer.
