Cost-utility of a cardiovascular prevention programme in highly educated adults: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: Little is known about the costs and the effects of cardiovascular prevention programs targeted at medical and behavioral risk factors. The aim was to eveluate the cost-utility of a cardiovascular prevention program in a general sample of highly educated adults after 1 year of intervention. Methods: The participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n=208) and usual care conditions (n=106). The intervention consisted of medical interventions and optional behavior-change interventions. (e.g. a tailored Web site). Cost data were registered from a healthcare perspective, and questionnaires were used to determine effectiveness (e.g. quality-adjusted life-years[QALYs]). A cost-utility analysis and sensitivity analyses using bootstrapping were performed on the intermediate results. Results: When adjusting for baseline utility differences, the incremental cost was 433 euros and the incremental effectiveness was 0.016 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 26,910 euros per QALY. Conclusions: The intervention was cost-effective compared with usual care in this sample of highly educated adults after 1 year of intervention. Increased participation would make this intervention highly cost-effective.