The costs and effects of behavioral programs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

This paper uses a General Health Policy Model to determine the cost-effectiveness of an experimental behavioral program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups, and only those in the experimental groups were given the behavioral strategies. Health status information was collected over 18 months, and the Health Policy Model translated program outcomes into well-year equivalents. At the end of the program, greater improvements in health status were observed in the experimental subjects, and a total of 4.41 well-years were produced. Costs of the program were gathered on a per-year basis using an administrative perspective. Both costs and health effects were discounted to present value using a 5% discount rate. Dividing costs by effects, the COPD program produced well-years at a unit cost of $24,256. Comparing the cost-utility figure to those of other health care programs using the General Health Policy Model, the behavioral program appears reasonably cost-effective as an adjunct therapy for patients suffering from COPD.