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- Title
Economic evaluation of enhanced staff contact for the promotion of breastfeeding for low birth weight infants.
- Authors
Rice, Stephen J. C.; Craig, Dawn; McCormick, Felicia; Renfrew, Mary J.; Williams, Anthony F.
- Abstract
Objectives: There is evidence that breastmilk feeding reduces mortality and short and long-term morbidity among infants born too soon or too small. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of enhanced staff contact for mothers with infants in a neonatal unit with a birth weight of 500-2,500 g from the perspective of the UK National Health Service. Methods: A decision-tree model linked clinical outcomes with long-term health outcomes. The study population was divided into three weight bands: 500-999 g, 1000-1,749 g, and 1,750-2,500 g. Clinical and resource use data were obtained from literature reviews. The measure of benefit was quality-adjusted life-years. Uncertainty was evaluated using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves and sensitivity analyses. Results: The intervention was less costly and more effective than the comparator in the base-case analysis for each birth weight group. The results were quite robust to the sensitivity analyses performed. Conclusions: This is the first economic evaluation in this complex field and offers a model to be developed in future research. The results provide preliminary indications that enhanced staff contact may be cost-effective. However, the limited evidence available, and the limited UK data in particular, suggest that further research is required to provide results with confidence.
- Subjects
UNITED Kingdom; BREASTFEEDING; NEWBORN infant health; BIRTH weight; GREAT Britain. National Health Service; PUBLIC health
- Publication
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 2010, Vol 26, Issue 2, p133
- ISSN
0266-4623
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S0266462310000115