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Jit M, Cook AR. Informing Public Health Policies with Models for Disease Burden, Impact Evaluation, and Economic Evaluation. Annu Rev Public Health 2024; 45:133-150. [PMID: 37871140 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-060222-025149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Conducting real-world public health experiments is often costly, time-consuming, and ethically challenging, so mathematical models have a long-standing history of being used to inform policy. Applications include estimating disease burden, performing economic evaluation of interventions, and responding to health emergencies such as pandemics. Models played a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing early detection of SARS-CoV-2's pandemic potential and informing subsequent public health measures. While models offer valuable policy insights, they often carry limitations, especially when they depend on assumptions and incomplete data. Striking a balance between accuracy and timely decision-making in rapidly evolving situations such as disease outbreaks is challenging. Modelers need to explore the extent to which their models deviate from representing the real world. The uncertainties inherent in models must be effectively communicated to policy makers and the public. As the field becomes increasingly influential, it needs to develop reporting standards that enable rigorous external scrutiny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Jit
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom;
| | - Alex R Cook
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- National University Health System, Singapore
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Taylor R, Sullivan D, Reeves P, Kerr N, Sawyer A, Schwartzkoff E, Bailey A, Williams C, Hure A. A Scoping Review of Economic Evaluations to Inform the Reorientation of Preventive Health Services in Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6139. [PMID: 37372726 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The Australian National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030 recommended the establishment of evidence-based frameworks to enable local public health services to identify strategies and interventions that deliver value for money. This study aimed to review the cost-effectiveness of preventive health strategies to inform the reorientation of local public health services towards preventive health interventions that are financially sustainable. Four electronic databases were searched for reviews published between 2005 and February 2022. Reviews that met the following criteria were included: population: human studies, any age or sex; concept 1: primary and/or secondary prevention interventions; concept 2: full economic evaluation; context: local public health services as the provider of concept 1. The search identified 472 articles; 26 were included. Focus health areas included mental health (n = 3 reviews), obesity (n = 1), type 2 diabetes (n = 3), dental caries (n = 2), public health (n = 4), chronic disease (n = 5), sexual health (n = 1), immunisation (n = 1), smoking cessation (n = 3), reducing alcohol (n = 1), and fractures (n = 2). Interventions that targeted obesity, type 2 diabetes, smoking cessation, and fractures were deemed cost-effective, however, more studies are needed, especially those that consider equity in priority populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Taylor
- Health Economics and Impact, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Deborah Sullivan
- Health Economics and Impact, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Penny Reeves
- Health Economics and Impact, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Nicola Kerr
- Health Promotion, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
| | - Amy Sawyer
- Health Promotion, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
| | - Emma Schwartzkoff
- Health Promotion, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
| | - Andrew Bailey
- Research and Knowledge Translation Directorate, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia
| | - Christopher Williams
- Research and Knowledge Translation Directorate, Mid North Coast Local Health District, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia
- University Centre for Rural Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, 61 Uralba Street, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Alexis Hure
- Health Economics and Impact, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
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Mobile Health Interventions and RCTs: Structured Taxonomy and Research Framework. J Med Syst 2022; 46:66. [PMID: 36068371 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-022-01856-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Mobile Health Interventions (MHIs) have addressed a range of healthcare challenges and have been evaluated using Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to establish clinical effectiveness. Using PRISMA we conducted a systematic literature review of RCTs for MHIs and identified 70 studies which were analyzed and classified using Nickerson-Varshney-Muntermann (NVM) taxonomy. From the resultant iterations of the taxonomy, we extracted insights from the categorized studies. RCTs cover a wide range of health conditions including chronic diseases, general wellness, unhealthy practices, family planning, end-of-life, and post-transplant care. The MHIs that were utilized by the RCTs were varied as well, although most studies did not find significant differences between MHIs and usual care. The challenges for MHI-based RCTs include the use of technologies, delayed outcomes, patient recruitment, patient retention, and complex regulatory requirements. These variances can lead to a higher rate of Type I/Type II errors. Further considerations are the impact of infrastructure, contextual and cultural factors, and reductions in the technological relevancy of the intervention itself. Finally, due to the delayed effect of most outcomes, RCTs of insufficient duration are unable to measure significant, lasting improvements. Using the insights from seventy identified studies, we developed a classification of existing RCTs along with guidelines for MHI-based RCTs and a research framework for future RCTs. The framework offers opportunities for (a) personalization of MHIs, (b) use of richer technologies, and (c) emerging areas for RCTs.
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Cinaroglu S. Exploring the nexus of equality and efficiency in healthcare. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/ijppm-04-2021-0221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to explore the nexus of equality and efficiency by considering public hospitals' development dynamics, capacity and technology indicators.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from the Ministry of Health Public Hospital Almanacs from 2014 to 2017. The Gini index (GI) is used to estimate the inequality of distribution of hospital performance indicators. A bias-corrected efficiency analysis is calculated to obtain efficiency scores of public hospitals for the year 2017. A path analysis is then constructed to better identify patterns of causation among a set of development, equality and efficiency variables.FindingsA redefined path model highlights that development dynamics, equality and efficiency are causally related and health technology (path coefficient = 0.57; t = 19.07; p < 0.01) and health services utilization (path coefficient = 0.24; t = 8; p < 0.01) effects public hospital efficiency. The final path model fit well (X2/df = 50.99/8 = 6; RMSEA = 0.089; NFI = 0.95; CFI = 0.96; GFI = 0.98; AGFI = 0.94). Study findings indicate high inequalities in distribution of health technologies (GI > 0.85), number of surgical operations (GI > 0.70) and number of inpatients (GI > 0.60) among public hospitals for the years 2014–2017.Originality/valueStudy results highlight that, hospital managers should prioritize equal distribution of health technology and health services utilization indicators to better orchestrate equity-efficiency trade-off in their operations.
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