Accounting for equity considerations in cost-effectiveness analysis: a systematic review of rotavirus vaccine in low- and middle-income countries

Project Details

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is frequently used as an input for guiding priority setting in health. However, CEA seldom incorporates information about trade-offs between total health gains and equity impacts of interventions. The purpose of this review is two-fold. Firstly to develop a comprehensive list of equity-relevant indicators based on the equity criteria contained within the Guidance on Priority Setting in Health Care (GPS-Health) by Norheim et al. The GPS-Health checklist consists of broad criteria that are theoretical rather than operational. Thus, our aim was to use this checklist to develop specific equity indicators that could be operationalized to help researchers and decision-makers navigate through equity-relevant characteristics that can be incorporated in CEAs.

Secondly to assess the extent to which the mapped indicators were incorporated in the analysis of published CEAs, and whether they were reflected in the results or also included as an explicit equity objective of the study. It provides a form of assessment tool to evaluate equity in existing cost-effectiveness studies.

This study investigates to what extent equity considerations have been taken into account in CEA in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), using rotavirus vaccination as a case study.

Project Duration

2017–2018

Researchers

• Marie-Anne Boujaoude (Project Lead)
• A/Prof Natalie Carvalho
• Prof Kim Dalziel
• Dr Andrew Mirelman

Research Publications

Boujaoude MA, Mirelman AJ, Dalziel K, Carvalho N. Accounting for equity considerations in cost-effectiveness analysis: a systematic review of rotavirus vaccine in low- and middle-income countries. Cost Eff Resour Alloc. 2018 May 18;16:18. doi: 10.1186/s12962-018-0102-2. PMID: 29796012; PMCID: PMC5960127.