Reference no: EM132302841

Economic Evaluation - Essay

Learning Outcomes

Assesses Unit Learning Outcome/s (ULO): Completing this task will help to develop the intended learning outcomes of:
ULO 1: Explain the essential characteristics of economic evaluation, and how it differs from other forms of health care evaluations;
ULO 2: Compare and contrast the different methods of undertaking an economic evaluation;
ULO 3: Explain the basic steps in conducting an economic evaluation of a health care intervention;
ULO 4: Explain the different types of cost that will be included in an economic evaluation and how to measure and value these costs; and
ULO 5: Analyse the different methods of presenting health outcomes in an economic evaluation.

Assesses Deakin Graduate Learning Outcome/s (GLO): Completing this assessment task develops the graduate attributes of written communication (GLO 2), critical analysis & thinking (GLO 4), developing, planning and managing independent work (GLO 6) and will develop the ability to work with a systematic body of knowledge and understand the ethical and social consequences of the discipline (GLO 1).

The Department of Health (DoH) is considering funding a new intervention to prevent anxiety amongst secondary school students. The program is called "Anxiety Free", which consists of two main components. The first component of the program will identify young people who may be at risk1 for developing anxiety. The second component comprises eight online modules that aim to prevent young people from developing anxiety.

Component 1: To identify adolescents who are at risk for developing anxiety, information letters will be sent to year 7 students and their parents, who will be asked to read, sign and return a consent form to the nominated school staff members if they wish to participate. Only those students who have returned a signed consent form will be able to participate in the baseline assessment, which involves the completion of an online screening questionnaire. This screening questionnaire aims to identify students at risk for developing anxiety. Students who score above a certain threshold on the questionnaire are considered at risk for anxiety.

Component 2: Eligible students for the second component will be contacted by the nominated school staff and offered the opportunity to participate in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Students who indicate their interest in participating in the program will be randomized to the control group or the intervention group. The intervention involves the completion of eight 30-minute modules online over eight weeks (i.e., one module per week). The modules include video diaries of young people talking about their experiences of feeling anxious, and a ‘host' who uses their experiences to talk about different ways of coping with anxiety. During the eight weeks period, ‘moderators' (clinical psychologists) are monitoring the progress and answer any questions young people might have on a daily basis, which is considered part of the online intervention. The subscription cost for the online modules is $1500 per school. The intervention is to be completed outside of school hours so as not to stigmatise the students. The control group will receive an information pamphlet about anxiety and advice to see the GP should the student (and their parents) feel they would like further help. During the RCT the students will be assessed at baseline, after the completion of the intervention and a 6 months after the intervention is completed

The DoH wants to know whether there is evidence that the screening process and the subsequent delivery of the "Anxiety Free" online modules represent "value for money". You are part of a research team that has been asked to design a protocol for an economic evaluation alongside the clinical trial.

Your role in the team is to undertake the following:

Question 1
Justify why you believe that an economic evaluation is needed, including any additional information you might need to support your argument.

Question 2
Form a well-defined study question to help guide your economic evaluation? Make sure you include all the elements of a good study question, including how health outcomes will be measured. Include a comment on whether you think the time horizon of the RCT is appropriate.

Question 3
What type of economic evaluation do you think will be the most appropriate for answering your study question? Justify why you have chosen this method for your economic evaluation.
NB: Don't forget to include justification based on your chosen health outcomes in your answer.

Question 4
Identify the resources that you will collect under the categories C1, C2, C3 and C4 (Described in Chapter 3, 46- page 47 in your text book):

Question 5
Outline the information and data sources that you would use for collecting the resource and cost information for your economic evaluation (focus on the measurement task of costing here).

Question 6
Explain how you will value each of your resource inputs in your economic evaluation.

Question 7
Explain and justify how you will collect and value the health outcomes you have chosen for your economic evaluation.