Cost-effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Childhood Asthma Intervention in Real-World Primary Care Settings

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Childhood asthma management presents significant healthcare burdens.
• Community health centers are vital for delivering pediatric care.
• Evidence-based interventions are needed to improve asthma outcomes and reduce costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis of the CHAMPS intervention compared to usual asthma care.
• To evaluate the economic impact of CHAMPS in community health center settings.
• To assess the cost-effectiveness of improving childhood asthma management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a difference-in-differences multivariate regression framework.
• Integrated data from household surveys, Medicaid claims, and health center expenditures.
• Performed an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis.

Main Results:

• The CHAMPS intervention reduced asthma symptom days by 29.75 days per child-year.
• CHAMPS demonstrated cost-effectiveness with an ICER of $28.76 per symptom-free day.
• Primary cost savings stemmed from reduced direct medical expenditures.

Conclusions:

• The CHAMPS program is a cost-effective strategy for managing childhood asthma in community health centers.
• The intervention yields significant benefits through decreased healthcare utilization.
• Further research can explore maximizing indirect economic benefits from improved asthma control.