Resources Repository
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ArticlePublication 2008Cost-Effectiveness of Rapid Point-of-Care Prenatal Syphilis Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa
This paper investigates the cost-effectiveness of using rapid point-of-care tests for prenatal syphilis screening among …
This paper investigates the cost-effectiveness of using rapid point-of-care tests for prenatal syphilis screening among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with syphilis prevalence rates as high as 17%, and where traditional multi-test screening methods have been challenging to implement. Focusing on newly available rapid point-of-care screening tests, strategies differed by the initial test [rapid plasma reagin (RPR), immunochromographic strip (ICS)], need for confirmation with Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay, and number of visits required.…
Technology Assessment | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Costing Methods | Test Performance | Mathematical Models | Infectious Diseases | Maternal/Reproductive Health | Clinical Care | 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…
Probability/Bayes | Technology Assessment | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
ToolInteractive 2020COVID-19 Antibody Tests: Calculator for Interpreting Test Results
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. This interactive calculator, linked to the article …
Antibody testing can determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. This interactive calculator, linked to the article below* on antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus, allows users to vary the prior probability of infection, the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing, and the specificity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing. Key points made in the article accompanying the interactive include: (1) antibody testing is likely to be most useful 2 weeks after infection, (2) sensitivity and specificity will vary over time and…
Probability/Bayes | Technology Assessment | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology -
EditorialPublication 2020Waiting for Certainty on COVID-19 Antibody Tests — At What Cost?
This perspective anticipates the availability of serologic antibody testing and considers its potential usefulness in mitigation …
This perspective anticipates the availability of serologic antibody testing and considers its potential usefulness in mitigation policy to reduce COVID-19 transmission. For example: Could we screen for serologic antibodies as a proxy for possible immunity and identify people who could return to the workplace with less severe mitigation measures? The authors acknowledge the uncertainties raised by many policy actors, including the WHO, such as, "Do antibodies confer immunity and, if so, for how long? How accurate is…
Probability/Bayes | Technology Assessment | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Global | North America -
BookPublication 2019Non-Communicable Disease Prevention: Best Buys, Wasted Buys, Contestable Buys
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the majority of these …
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the majority of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. This book provides practical guidelines and lessons learned through real-world case studies. It is intended to be informative to NCD program managers, policy officers and decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries, who need to comparatively assess interventions for the prevention and control of NCDs.The authors emphasize the importance of context in NCD control…
Technology Assessment | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Priority Setting/Ethics | Infectious Diseases | Chronic Disease/Risk | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Health/Medicine | Global -
Teaching PackPublication, Teaching Resource 2022Teaching Pack: Introduction to Decision Analysis
In this teaching pack on Introduction to Decision Analysis, students are provided a basic introduction to …
In this teaching pack on Introduction to Decision Analysis, students are provided a basic introduction to the field of decision analysis in the context of public health. After differentiating simple "relatively automatic" decisions from those that might require more systematic analysis, students are introduced to the core elements of a decision analysis (e.g., objectives, alternatives, probabilities, and outcomes), and the basic steps of a decision analysis. Materials include an instructor's note, videos, companion slides, a glossary,…
Probability/Bayes | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Decision Psychology | Preferences/Values | Decision Analysis | Health/Medicine | Global | College | Graduate | Critical Thinking/Analysis | Quantitative Literacy -
BookPublication 2017What's In, What's Out: Designing Benefits for Universal Health Coverage
Many low- and middle-income countries now aspire to universal health coverage, where governments ensure that …
Many low- and middle-income countries now aspire to universal health coverage, where governments ensure that all people have access to the quality health services they need without risk of impoverishment. But for universal health coverage to become reality, the health services offered must be consistent with the funds available-and this implies tough everyday choices for policymakers. This publication argues that the creation of an explicit health benefits plan-a defined list of services that are and are…
Technology Assessment | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Priority Setting/Ethics | Health Outcomes | Evidence Synthesis | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | Global -
BookPublication 2016Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine, 2nd Edition
This is a revised and expanded edition of the original text on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. The …
This is a revised and expanded edition of the original text on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. The Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine included experts drawn from academia, healthcare administration, and government. The book offers advice for conducting analyses to improve the allocation of health resources, and is intended for economists, policy analysts, hospital executives, and students across health, business, and humanities disciplines. New components of this edition, include an in-depth review of the past 20…
Technology Assessment | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Costing Methods | Health Outcomes | Mathematical Models | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Global | North America | Europe -
GuidelinesPublication 2016Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine
This article provides an overview of the main recommendations of the 2016 Second Panel on …
This article provides an overview of the main recommendations of the 2016 Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. In 1993, the U.S. Public Health Service convened the first panel of experts to review the state of cost-effectiveness analysis and to develop guidelines for its use in health, to improve quality and promote comparability. Scientists and scholars in economics, clinical medicine, ethics, and statistics met to share expertise and develop recommendations by consensus. The…
Technology Assessment | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Priority Setting/Ethics | Costing Methods | Evidence Synthesis | Health/Medicine | North America