Abstract
Objective: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an expensive-to-treat illness with a high mortality rate. Some health care systems have limited the amount of treatment provided for AN despite the lack of clearly documented efficacy for these limited-intensity approaches. One method that can inform decisions about AN treatment is cost-effectiveness analysis. Method: Cost-modeling analysis was used to estimate the incremental cost-effect-iveness of AN treatment. Modeling was chosen given the lack of primary data on costs and outcomes in AN treatment. Data for age of onset, life expectancy, and disease-associated mortality were taken from the literature. The costs of treatment used in the analysis were those in use at the University of Minnesota. Results: Assuming an approach consisting of inpatient weight restoration, followed by treatment of gradually diminishing intensity (partial hospitalization, then outpatient psychotherapy plus medication management), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated and compared with a limited intensity, "usual care" model. These assumptions yielded a cost per year of life saved of $30,180. Discussion: Relative to many other medical interventions, the comprehensive treatment of AN appears to be quite cost-effective in terms of cost per year of life saved. Such data may have an impact on payer decisions and underscore the serious nature of AN.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 155-160 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | International Journal of Eating Disorders |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2004 |
Keywords
- Anorexia nervosa treatment
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Hospitalization
- Medication management