Overall , the cohort Markov models remain the most popular approach , followed by decision trees , Individual based model and System dynamics model ( SD ) .
Conclusions This review paper informs policy makers about the availability of modelling techniques that can be used to enhance the quality of economic evaluations for drug and alcohol treatment interventions
Background The overarching goal of health policies is to maximize health and societal benefits .
Economic evaluations can play a vital role in assessing whether or not such benefits occur .
This paper review s the application of modelling techniques in economic evaluations of drug and alcohol interventions with regard to ( i ) modelling paradigms themselves ; ( ii ) perspectives of costs and benefits and ( iii ) time frame .
Cost-effectiveness of rapid hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and simultaneous rapid HCV and HIV testing in substance abuse treatment programs.
AIMS To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of rapid hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) and simultaneous HCV/HIV antibody testing in substance abuse treatment programs . DESIGN We used a decision analytic model to compare the cost-effectiveness of no HCV testing referral or offer , off-site HCV testing referral , on-site rapid HCV testing offer and on-site rapid HCV and HIV testing offer . Base case inputs included 11 % undetected chronic HCV , 0.4 % undetected HIV , 35 % HCV co-infection among HIV-infected , 53 % linked to HCV care after testing antibody-positive and 67 % linked to HIV care . Disease outcomes were estimated from established computer simulation models of HCV [ Hepatitis C Cost-Effectiveness ( HEP-CE ) ] and HIV [ Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications ( CEPAC ) ] . SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Data on test acceptance and costs were from a national r and omized trial of HIV testing strategies conducted at 12 substance abuse treatment programs in the United States . MEASUREMENTS Lifetime costs ( 2011 US$ ) and quality -adjusted life years ( QALYs ) discounted at 3 % annually ; incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ( ICERs ) . FINDINGS On-site rapid HCV testing had an ICER of $ 18,300/QALY compared with no testing , and was more efficient than ( dominated ) off-site HCV testing referral . On-site rapid HCV and HIV testing had an ICER of $ 64,500/QALY compared with on-site rapid HCV testing alone . In one- and two-way sensitivity analyses , the ICER of on-site rapid HCV and HIV testing remained < $ 100,000/QALY , except when undetected HIV prevalence was < 0.1 % or when we assumed frequent HIV testing elsewhere . The ICER remained < $ 100,000/QALY in 91 % of probabilistic sensitivity analyses . CONCLUSIONS On-site rapid hepatitis C virus and HIV testing in substance abuse treatment programs is cost-effective at a < $ 100,000/ quality -adjusted life year threshold
Overall , the cohort Markov models remain the most popular approach , followed by decision trees , Individual based model and System dynamics model ( SD ) .
Conclusions This review paper informs policy makers about the availability of modelling techniques that can be used to enhance the quality of economic evaluations for drug and alcohol treatment interventions
Background The overarching goal of health policies is to maximize health and societal benefits .
Economic evaluations can play a vital role in assessing whether or not such benefits occur .
This paper review s the application of modelling techniques in economic evaluations of drug and alcohol interventions with regard to ( i ) modelling paradigms themselves ; ( ii ) perspectives of costs and benefits and ( iii ) time frame .