Cost-effectiveness of treating first-episode psychosis: five year follow-up results from an Italian early intervention programme
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2011
Citazione:
Cost-effectiveness of treating first-episode psychosis: five year follow-up results from an Italian early intervention programme / A. Cocchi, V. Mapelli, A. Meneghelli, A. Preti. - In: EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY. - ISSN 1751-7885. - 5:3(2011), pp. 203-211.
Abstract:
Aim: Early intervention programmes
are expected to result in the reduction
of illness severity in patients with
schizophrenia, and contain healthcare
costs by reducing hospital
admissions and improving the
social functioning of patients. This
study aimed to investigate the costeffectiveness
of treatment in an early
intervention programme in comparison
to standard care.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of
data prospectively recorded in an
urban area (Milan, Italy). Twentythree
patients from an early intervention
programme and 23 patients from
standard care with first-episode psychosis
were evaluated on their use of
services over a 5-year period. The
Health of the Nation Outcome Scale
was used to measure clinical status.
Results: Significant changes with
respect to initial assessment were
recorded on the Health of the Nation
Outcome Scale,with larger effect sizes
in the early intervention programme
than in the standard care group. Consequently,
the cost-effectiveness ratio
per reduced score of severity was
lower in the early intervention programme
than in standard care (€ 4802
vs. € 9871), with an incremental costeffectiveness
ratio, or net saving of
€ -1204 for every incremental reduced
score of severity. Over time, greater
recourse to hospital and residential
facilities to obtain comparable
improvement in symptoms resulted
in a steady cost increase for the
patients in standard care.
Conclusions: Allocation of funds to
specialized early intervention programmes
is the best alternative, as it
can save costs by reducing the use of
hospitals and residential facilities,
and may produce net savings of costs
in the long term.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
cost-effectiveness ; early intervention ; HoNOS ; psychosis ;
schizophrenia
Elenco autori:
A. Cocchi, V. Mapelli, A. Meneghelli, A. Preti
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