Resources Repository
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ReviewPublication 2022Significance of Advanced COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing in Pandemic Control Measures
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant …
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant efforts to combat the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 virus. Despite substantial progress in vaccines and treatments, leading to lower hospitalization and death rates, the virus has continued to evolve, primarily through mutations. From the onset, diagnostic tests have been crucial in identifying and controlling the virus spread. The scientific world has pioneered various diagnostic techniques, including nucleic acid, antigen, and antibody-based…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Infectious Diseases | Test Performance | Clinical Care | Science/Technology -
ReviewPublication 2015Medicare's Use of CEA for Prevention (But Not Treatment)
Medicare currently pays for 23 preventive services in its benefits package, the majority of which …
Medicare currently pays for 23 preventive services in its benefits package, the majority of which were added since 2005. In the past decade, the program has transformed from one essentially administering treatment claims, to one increasingly focused on health promotion and maintenance. What is largely unappreciated is the role cost-effectiveness analysis has played in the coverage of preventive services. This study reviews the role of cost-effectiveness analysis in Medicare coverage of preventive services and contrast it…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Infectious Diseases | Priority Setting/Ethics | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Technology Assessment | Child/Nutrition | Chronic Disease/Risk | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Government/Law -
ReviewPublication 2013Role of Health Economic Analyses in Vaccine Decision Making
Beginning in the 20th century with the consideration of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in …
Beginning in the 20th century with the consideration of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the US, cost effectiveness became a topic of discussion when a vaccine was being considered for universal use by the US Advisory Committee on Immunization practices (ACIP). In 2008, the ACIP began using formal criteria for the presentation of such data and their inclusion in ACIP discussions. More recently, the U.S. Institute of Medicine has recommended that health economic considerations play a…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Infectious Diseases | Priority Setting/Ethics | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Economics/Finance -
ReviewPublication 2021Considerations for Diagnostic COVID-19 Tests
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic …
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic test manufacturers to create, validate, and implement testing methods. This review discusses the pivotal role of diagnostic tests during the pandemic's first global wave, highlighting the challenges in technology and implementation experienced early on. The study also offers insights for enhancing the use of diagnostics, especially syndromic ones, should there be future spikes or regional outbreaks of COVID-19. The overarching…
Health/Medicine | North America | Infectious Diseases | Test Performance | Clinical Care | Science/Technology -
ReviewPublication 2022Rapid, Point-of-Care Antigen Tests for Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, …
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, differentiating results between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Using data from 155 study cohorts, the study found that the sensitivity of antigen tests was generally higher for symptomatic individuals, especially during the first week after symptom onset, due to higher viral loads. For example, average sensitivity was higher in symptomatic (73.0%) compared to asymptomatic participants (54.7). Average sensitivity was higher in…
Health/Medicine | North America | Infectious Diseases | Test Performance | Clinical Care | Science/Technology -
ReviewPublication 2022Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of COVID-19 Interventions: Non-Health Impacts and Distributional Issues
The authors conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of COVID-19 interventions and assessed whether …
The authors conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of COVID-19 interventions and assessed whether they incorporated non-health impacts and distributional concerns. Among the 70 articles included, more than half (56%) included at least one non-health impact, although only 21% incorporated non-economic consequences. Only 17% examined subgroups of interest. The median ICER for the entire sample was $67,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) (interquartile range [IQR] $9000-$893,000/QALY). Interventions including a pharmaceutical component yielded a median ICER of $93,000/QALY (IQR…
Health/Medicine | North America | Infectious Diseases | Evidence Synthesis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Social Determinants | Culture/Society | Economics/Finance -
ReviewPublication 2020Public Health and Online Misinformation: Challenges and Recommendations
The internet has become a popular resource to learn about health and to investigate one's …
The internet has become a popular resource to learn about health and to investigate one's own health condition. However, given the large amount of inaccurate information online, people can easily become misinformed. Individuals have always obtained information from outside the formal health care system, so how has the internet changed people's engagement with health information? This review explores how individuals interact with health misinformation online, whether it be through search, user-generated content, or mobile apps.…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Evidence Synthesis | Social Determinants | Culture/Society -
ReviewPublication 2021Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Systematic Review
This systematic review aimed to identify the main health misinformation topics and their prevalence on …
This systematic review aimed to identify the main health misinformation topics and their prevalence on different social media platforms, with focus on methodological quality and the diverse solutions that are being implemented to address this public health concern. The authors defined health misinformation as a health-related claim that is based on anecdotal evidence, false, or misleading owing to the lack of existing scientific knowledge. They included (1) articles that focused on health misinformation in social…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Social Determinants | Culture/Society | Science/Technology -
ReviewPublication 2017Patients' Preferences in Cancer Treatment: Review of Discrete Choice Experiments
This study aimed to systematically review discrete choice experiments (DCEs) about patients’ preferences for cancer …
This study aimed to systematically review discrete choice experiments (DCEs) about patients’ preferences for cancer treatment and assessed the relative importance of outcome, process and cost attributes. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed and EMBASE to identify all DCEs investigating patients’ preferences for cancer treatment between January 2010 and April 2016. Attributes were classified into outcome, process and cost attributes, and their relative importance was assessed. A total of 28 DCEs were identified.…
Health/Medicine | North America | Health Systems | Preferences/Values | Health Outcomes | Decision Analysis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Chronic Disease/Risk | Economics/Finance | Europe