Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T18:11:46.730Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

QUALITY-ADJUSTED LIFE-YEARS FOR THE ESTIMATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF SCREENING PROGRAMS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2012

Suvi Mäklin
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment email: [email protected]
Pirjo Räsänen
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment; Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa
Riikka Laitinen
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment
Niina Kovanen
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment
Ilona Autti-Rämö
Affiliation:
The Social Insurance Institution
Harri Sintonen
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Risto P. Roine
Affiliation:
Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify and characterize studies that have used quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) based on measurements of patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as an indicator of effectiveness of screening programs.

Methods: Systematic search of the literature until March 2010, using several electronic databases. Initial screening of articles based on abstracts, and evaluation of full-text articles were done by at least two of the authors.

Results: The search identified 1,610 articles. Based on review of abstracts, 431 full-text articles were obtained for closer inspection and, of these, 81 reported QALYs based on patient-derived data using a valid HRQoL assessment. The most frequently used method to assess HRQoL was Time Trade-Off (55 percent) followed by EQ-5D (26 percent). The most frequently studied medical conditions were malignant diseases (23 percent) followed by cardiovascular diseases (19 percent). All studies employed some kind of modeling with the Markov model being the most prevalent type (65 percent). Majority of the articles (59 percent) concluded that the screening program studied was cost-effective.

Conclusions: The use of QALYs in the evaluation of screening programs has expanded during the last few years. However, only a minority of studies have used HRQoL data derived from patients, using direct or indirect valuation. Further investigation and harmonization of the methodology in evaluation of screening programs is needed to ensure better comparability across different screening programs.

Type
METHODS
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Autti-Rämö, I, Mäkelä, M, Sintonen, H, et al. Expanding screening for rare metabolic disease in the newborn: An analysis of costs, effect and ethical consequences for decision making in Finland. Acta Paediatr. 2005;94:11261136.Google Scholar
2.Bamford, J, Fortnum, H, Bristow, K, et al. Current practice, accuracy, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the school entry hearing screen. Health Technol Assess. 2007;11:1168.Google Scholar
3.Brodersen, J, McKenna, SP, Doward, LC, Thorsen, H. Measuring the psychosocial consequences of screening. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2007;5:3.Google Scholar
4.Burr, JM, Mowatt, G, Hernández, R, et al. The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening for open angle glaucoma: A systematic review and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess. 2007;11:iii–iv, 1190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Castelnuovo, E, Thompson-Coon, J, Pitt, M, et al. The cost-effectiveness of testing for hepatitis C in former injecting drug users. Health Technol Assess. 2006;10:193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Dolan, P. Whose preferences count? Med Decis Making. 1999;19:482486.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Drummond, MF, Sculpher, MJ, Torrance, GW, O'Brien, BJ, Stoddart, GL, Methods for the economic evaluation of health care programmes. 3rd ed.Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005.Google Scholar
8.European Network for Health Technology Assessment. The mission of the EUnetHTA Collaboration. http://www.eunethta.net/Public/About_EUnetHTA/EUnetHTA-Mission/www.eunethta.net.Google Scholar
9.Gold, MR, Siegel, JE, Russell, LB, Weinstein, MC. Cost-effectiveness in health and medicine.Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1996.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Hernandez, RA, Burr, JM, Vale, LD. Economic evaluation of screening for open-angle glaucoma. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2008;24:203211.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Kopec, JA, Willison, KD. A comparative review of four preference-weighted measures of health-related quality of life. J Clin Epidemiol. 2003;56:317325.Google Scholar
12.Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Screening programmes. A handbook for municipal authorities. Helsinki 2007. Finland: Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health; 2007:5.Google Scholar
13.National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Guide to the methods of technology appraisal. London: NICE; 2008.Google Scholar
14.Nord, E, Pinto, JL, Richardson, J, Menzel, P, Ubel, P. Incorporating societal concerns for fairness in numerical valuations of health programs. Health Econ. 1999;8:2539.Google Scholar
15.Rawlins, MD, Culyer, AJ. National Institute for Clinical Excellence and its value judgements. BMJ. 2004;329:224227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Räsänen, P, Roine, E, Sintonen, H, et al. Use of quality-adjusted life years for the estimation of effectiveness of health care: A systematic literature review. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2006;22:235241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Stein, K, Dalziel, K, Walker, A, et al. Screening for Hepatitis C in injecting drug users: A cost utility analysis. J Public Health. 2004;26:6171.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.UK National Screening Committee. Programme appraisal criteria. Criteria for appraising the viability, effectiveness and appropriateness of a screening programme. http://screening.nhs.uk/criteria.Google Scholar
19.Wilson, JMG, Jungner, G. Principles and practice of screening for disease. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1968.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Maklin et al. supplementary material

Supplementary table 1

Download Maklin et al. supplementary material(File)
File 48.6 KB
Supplementary material: File

Maklin et al. supplementary material

Supplementary table 2

Download Maklin et al. supplementary material(File)
File 296.4 KB
Supplementary material: File

Maklin et al. supplementary material

Supplementary table 3

Download Maklin et al. supplementary material(File)
File 24.1 KB
Supplementary material: File

Maklin et al. supplementary material

Supplementary table 4

Download Maklin et al. supplementary material(File)
File 100.4 KB