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Cost-effectiveness of nutritional counseling for obese patients and patients at risk of ischemic heart disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2005

Jens Olsen
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark
Ingrid Willaing
Affiliation:
Glostrup University Hospital
Steen Ladelund
Affiliation:
Glostrup University Hospital
Torben Jørgensen
Affiliation:
Glostrup University Hospital
Jens Gundgaard
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark
Jan Sørensen
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark
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Abstract

Objectives: Obesity and dyslipidemia are risk factors for ischemic heart disease, and prevention and treatment in primary care can reduce these risks. The objective of this cost-effectiveness analysis was to compare the costs and effects (in terms of life years gained) of providing nutritional counseling by a general practitioner (GP) or a dietician.

Methods: A total of 60 GPs, who accepted to participate, were randomized either to give nutritional counseling or to refer patients to a dietician for counseling. The life years gained was estimated using a Cox regression model. Costs were estimated on the basis of registered use of time (dieticians) or agreed salaries (GPs).

Results: The effect of nutritional counseling comparing GPs and dieticians is greatest when counseling is performed by a GP—0.0919 years versus 0.0274 years. These effects appear to be moderate, but they are significant. It is also proven that the GP group was the most cost-effective—the cost of gaining 1 extra life year was estimated to be 8,213 DKK compared with the dietician group, for which the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated to be 59,987 DKK.

Conclusions: The effects were moderate, but other studies of other patient groups and interventions report effects within the same magnitude. The GP group was the most cost-effective, but it must be concluded that both counseling strategies were relatively cost-effective. Even though the cost of gaining an extra life year was estimated to be 59,987 DKK in the dietician group, this might be an acceptable price.

Information

Type
GENERAL ESSAYS
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Predicted Average Life Years Gained (Δyears) and Average Intervention Costs (2001 price level) According to Counseling Group

Figure 1

Predicted Average Life Years Gained (Δyears) without IHD and Average Intervention Costs (2001 price level) According to Counseling Group

Figure 2

Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios in Relation to Life Years Gained According to Counseling Group

Figure 3

Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios in Relation to Life Years Gained without IHD According to Counseling Group

Figure 4

Sensitivity Analysis: Costs and Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios (ICERs) Applying Alternative Costing Methods

Figure 5

Sensitivity Analysis: Inclusion of Patients Own Use of Time

Figure 6

Bootstrap plot, dietician group (n = 243), and general practitioner (GP) group (n = 158). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) Dietician/GP line corresponds to the ICER presented in Table 3 (row 3 and 4, respectively). The ICER lower line corresponds to the lower limit in the bias corrected 95% confidence interval presented in Table 3 (row 3 and 4, respectively). The ICER upper line corresponds to the upper limit in the bias corrected 95% CI presented in Table 3 (row 3 and 4, respectively).

Figure 7

Acceptability curve.