Abstract
Background: The cost effectiveness of various treatment strategies for bulimia nervosa (BN) is unknown. Aims: To examine the cost effectiveness of stepped care treatment for BN. Method: Randomized trial conducted at four clinical centers with intensive measurement of direct medical costs and repeated measurement of subject quality of life and family/significant other time involvement. Two hundred ninety-three women who met DSM-IV criteria for BN received stepped care treatment or cognitive behavioral therapy. Cost effectiveness ratios were compared. Results: The cost per abstinent subject was 12,146 for stepped care, and 20,317 for cognitive behavioral therapy. Quality of life ratings improved significantly with treatment, and family/significant other time burden diminished substantially. Discussion: In this trial, stepped care for BN appeared cost effective in comparison to cognitive behavioral therapy. Treatment was associated with improved quality of life and diminished time costs of illness. © 2013 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013)
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 302-307 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | International Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2013 |
Keywords
- bulimia nervosa
- cognitive behavioral therapy
- cost effectiveness