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Walk with ease for knee osteoarthritis: A cost-effectiveness analysis.
Zoe E Zimmerman1,2, Rebecca J Cleveland3, Aleksandra M Kostic1,2
1Policy and Innovation EValuation in Orthopaedic Treatments (PIVOT) Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open
|May 26, 2023
Summary
The Walk With Ease (WWE) program is a cost-effective intervention for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who are inactive. It provides good value, encouraging physical activity and improving health outcomes for those with OA.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Rheumatology
- Public Health
Background:
- The Arthritis Foundation developed the Walk With Ease (WWE) program to aid individuals with arthritis in safe exercise and symptom management.
- Establishing the economic value of the WWE program is crucial for its wider adoption and integration into care pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the cost-effectiveness of the WWE program for managing knee osteoarthritis (OA).
- To determine the economic value of WWE using a validated computer simulation model.
Main Methods:
- The Osteoarthritis Policy (OAPol) Model, a computer simulation for knee OA, was employed.
- Model inputs were derived from a workplace wellness initiative, focusing on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs over two years.
- Analyses included base case, scenario, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, focusing on participants with low baseline physical activity.
Main Results:
- In the base case, WWE added to usual care yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $47,900/QALY for inactive/insufficiently active individuals.
- When offered without activity-based preselection, the ICER increased to $83,400/QALY.
- Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed a 52% likelihood of the ICER being below $50,000/QALY for this population.
Conclusions:
- The WWE program demonstrates good economic value for individuals with knee OA who are inactive or insufficiently active.
- Payers should consider incorporating WWE into strategies aimed at increasing physical activity among individuals with knee OA.
