A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Community Health Worker Led Asthma Education Program in South Texas

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the cost-effectiveness of an asthma-related education program.

Materials and Methods

Using a pre and post approach, the paper calculates first changes in cost due to variations in outcome (from baseline to follow-up). We also estimate cost-effectiveness ratios for each of the eight outcomes (numbers of asthma attacks, hospital, and ER visits, and physical and emotional health, and activity levels of both children and family members).

Results

The intervention saved the household around $36 per day. Cost-effectiveness ratios ranged between less than $2.2 for children and family members’ physical and emotional health, and activity levels to between $4.1 and $82.8 for asthma attacks and hospital visits. Cost-benefit results showed minimal benefit due to conservative estimates. We could not quantify the economic value of physical and emotional health improvement seen based on the measures.

Conclusion

Cost savings and ratios suggest that such a program could reduce health disparities due to improved knowledge, decreasing exposure to asthma triggers, enhancing health outcomes, and improving the quality of life of the children with asthma and their whole family.

Graphical abstract

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Keywords:

• cost-effectiveness ratio
• asthma home intervention
• physical health of children
• emotional health of children
• activities of children

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Hyewon Ji, Monika Gonzalez Hermosillo Holtz, and Luis Ordonez for their research assistance.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported in part by the State of Texas's legislative action to establish and support the Healthy South Texas initiative. Funds were administred through Texas A&M University Health Science Center grant number 23-183000.