Resources Repository
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ArticlePublication 2022Hospitalization Costs for COVID-19 in Ethiopia: Empirical Data and Analysis from Addis Ababa's Largest Dedicated Treatment Center
This study examines the comprehensive costs of hospitalization for COVID-19 disease at Ekka Kotebe COVID-19 …
This study examines the comprehensive costs of hospitalization for COVID-19 disease at Ekka Kotebe COVID-19 treatment center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the largest dedicated hospital for COVID-19 patient care in the country. Through retrospective collection and analysis of clinical and cost data from March to November 2020, including personnel time, drugs, medical supplies, and facility utilities, the study estimates the cost per treated COVID-19 episode stratified by disease severity. Over the study period, 2,543 COVID-19…
Costing Methods | Infectious Diseases | Health/Medicine | Sub-Saharan Africa -
ArticlePublication 2022Child Health Inequity through Case Management of Under-Five Malaria in Nigeria: An ECEA
This study assesses the potential impact of subsidies covering the direct and indirect costs of …
This study assesses the potential impact of subsidies covering the direct and indirect costs of under-five malaria case management in Nigeria, utilizing an extended cost-effectiveness analysis (ECEA) and a decision tree model. Findings reveal that fully subsidizing medical, non-medical, and indirect costs could annually avert over 19,000 under-five deaths, 8,600 cases of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), and US$187 million in out-of-pocket (OOP) spending. Per US$1 million invested, this translates to a significant reduction in under-five…
Health Outcomes | Infectious Diseases | Mathematical Models | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Child/Nutrition | Policy/Regulation | Health/Medicine | Sub-Saharan Africa -
ArticlePublication 2020Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Recently, the UK government has made …
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Recently, the UK government has made antibody testing available to anyone wanting it, even if there is no clinical indication. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance for when to consider antibody testing in individuals with and without symptoms suggestive of current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection. Key points made by the authors include: (1) antibody testing is likely to be most useful 2 weeks…
Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Probability/Bayes | Technology Assessment | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2020Bayes' Theorem, COVID-19, and Screening Tests
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain …
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) through the application of Bayes’ Theorem for three hypothetical, stylized case scenarios. The scenarios involve three patients with a low, moderate, and high pre-test probability of COVID-19 infection. The category of low probability would include "asymptomatic individuals in a presumed low prevalence environment" and might vary from 10 to 20%. The category of moderate probability would include "individuals…
Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Probability/Bayes | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2020Interpreting COVID-19 Test Results: A Bayesian Approach
This article considers the following question with respect to interpreting the results of polymerase chain reaction …
This article considers the following question with respect to interpreting the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays from nasal and pharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 to inform clinical decision making: "While a positive result in an acutely ill patient is straightforward, how should physicians interpret negative tests in patients with suspected COVID-19 infection?" Using an assumption of near-perfect specificity of PCR assays for COVID-19, the authors acknowledge the uncertainty of test sensitivity. They consider two clinical scenarios…
Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Probability/Bayes | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | Global -
ArticlePublication 2019Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Vaccination Strategies Against Tuberculosis
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only licensed vaccine for tuberculosis, but its effectiveness is limited …
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only licensed vaccine for tuberculosis, but its effectiveness is limited and varies by age, so a valid cost-effectiveness study is needed to assist decision-makers in the implementation of cost-effective strategies for BCG vaccination. Using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument, the authors assessed the quality of published studies involving economic evaluations of BCG vaccination strategies in a variety of regions, target populations, and vaccine types. Most of the…
Evidence Synthesis | Infectious Diseases | Mathematical Models | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Health/Medicine | Global -
ReviewPublication 2018Equity Considerations in CEA: Rotavirus Vaccine in LMIC's
The authors used a systematic review of the literature to identify economic evaluations of rotavirus …
The authors used a systematic review of the literature to identify economic evaluations of rotavirus vaccine in LMICs and assess the extent to which equity was considered in the objectives, analysis, and results. They used equity-related indicators provided in the Guidance on Priority Setting in Health Care (GPS-Health) checklist criteria resulting in 18 unique indicators tracked. The authors found that some articles incorporated the indicators in their model inputs (20%) while the majority (80%) presented…
Evidence Synthesis | Infectious Diseases | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Social Determinants | Health/Medicine | Global -
ArticleWeb Portal 2017PLoS Collection: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than one million new sexually transmitted …
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than one million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur each day, incurring a very substantial burden of morbidity, mortality and additional infections. The pathogens responsible include bacteria, parasites and viruses, and intensive research is needed to address the substantial barriers to diagnosis and treatment of STIs, and the behavioral challenges of prevention. This PLOS collection, published in collaboration with WHO, focuses on global policy and systems…
Costing Methods | Infectious Diseases | Priority Setting/Ethics | Mathematical Models | Dynamic Transmission | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Health Systems | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Sub-Saharan Africa | Middle East & North Africa | Latin America & Caribbean | Asia & Pacific -
ArticleWeb Portal 2017PLOS Collection: Economic Efficiency of HIV Services
In order to maximize the value for money for HIV services and increase efficiency without …
In order to maximize the value for money for HIV services and increase efficiency without sacrificing quality, robust and up-to-date data on costs, efficiency and its determinants are needed. This PLOS collection, Economic Efficiency of HIV Services, presents recent, high-quality evidence from low- and middle-income countries on costs and technical efficiency of HIV services and their determinants. These data contribute to the current discussion on optimizing resources for HIV services and can provide programmatic guidance for…
Costing Methods | Infectious Diseases | Priority Setting/Ethics | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Operations Research | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Sub-Saharan Africa | Middle East & North Africa | Latin America & Caribbean | Asia & Pacific