Resources Repository
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Resource PackPublication, Teaching Resource 2024Resource Pack: Introduction to Benefit-Cost Analysis
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, introduces the theory and …
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, introduces the theory and practice of benefit-cost analysis. It is targeted towards advanced students as well as practitioners and those interested in teaching benefit-cost analysis. Benefit-cost analysis (also referred to as cost-benefit analysis) is a well-established and widely-used form of economic evaluation. It is designed to inform policy and other decisions by providing evidence on the consequences of alternative interventions. In benefit-cost analysis, all…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Decision Analysis | Climate/Environment | Economics/Finance | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Social Determinants | Policy/Regulation | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Global | College | Graduate | Doctoral | Professional | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
Working PaperPublication 2015Benefit-Cost Analysis and the Cities
This paper provides a short introduction to the use of benefit-cost analysis to assess interventions …
This paper provides a short introduction to the use of benefit-cost analysis to assess interventions undertaken at the city or municipal level. It introduces the concepts that underlie the conduct of benefit-cost analysis, describes the major analytic components, and discusses how to tailor the analysis to the characteristics of the policy and the resources available. It concludes with a list of references for those interested in learning more.
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Decision Analysis | Climate/Environment | Economics/Finance | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Social Determinants | Environmental Health | Policy/Regulation | Culture/Society | Government/Law | North America | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
ReviewPublication 2011Simulation Models of Obesity: A Review of the Literature
Simulation models combine information from a variety of sources to provide a useful tool for …
Simulation models combine information from a variety of sources to provide a useful tool for examining how the effects of obesity unfold over time and impact population health. They can aid in the understanding of the complex interaction of the drivers of diet and activity and their relation to health outcomes. This paper provided an overview of different types of simulation models used to evaluate the potential impact of policies to address the obesity epidemic.…
Decision Analysis | Calibration/Validation | State-Transition | Economics/Finance | Mathematical Models | Microsimulation | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Child/Nutrition | Chronic Disease/Risk | Food/Agriculture | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2023Benefits and Costs of COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
Written mid-pandemic, this article evaluates the direct costs and health benefits of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations …
Written mid-pandemic, this article evaluates the direct costs and health benefits of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for U.S. federal employees and healthcare and private sector workers. These mandates were controversial and some were halted by litigation. If they had been implemented as intended, the net benefits would depend on the course of the pandemic. If a more transmissible variant (such as Omicron) emerges, the net benefits may be large. If the pandemic instead fades, the benefits…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | State-Transition | Economics/Finance | Mathematical Models | Infectious Diseases | Policy/Regulation | Business/Industry | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | North America -
ArticlePublication 2022Vaccinations versus Lockdowns to Prevent COVID-19 Mortality
This analysis estimated the costs associated with preventing Covid-19 deaths by vaccinations versus lockdowns. Publicly …
This analysis estimated the costs associated with preventing Covid-19 deaths by vaccinations versus lockdowns. Publicly available datasets from the Israeli Ministry of Health were used to model the parameters of the pandemic in Israel. The Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker was used for quantitative data on government policies. Data on the Israeli economy were taken from the Central Bureau of Statistics. The models demonstrate that the first lockdown prevented 1022 COVID-19 deaths at the cost…
Decision Analysis | State-Transition | Economics/Finance | Decision Theory | Costing Methods | Health Outcomes | Infectious Diseases | Policy/Regulation | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Middle East & North Africa -
ArticlePublication 2022Emerging Therapies for COVID-19: The Value of Information From More Clinical Trials
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated time-sensitive policy and implementation decisions regarding new therapies in the face …
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated time-sensitive policy and implementation decisions regarding new therapies in the face of uncertainty. This study aimed to quantify consequences of approving therapies or pursuing further research. The authors used a cohort state-transition model for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to estimate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs associated with multiple drug regimens and usual care. For each they assessed immediate approval, use only in research, emergency use authorization or reject. They conducted cost-effectiveness…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | State-Transition | Economics/Finance | Value of Information | Infectious Diseases | Policy/Regulation | North America | Europe -
Resource PackPublication, Teaching Resource 2019Resource Pack: BCA in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, includes methods papers, case …
This resource pack, curated by the Center for Health Decision Science, includes methods papers, case studies, and reference case guidance for conducting benefit-cost analyses in low- and middle-income countries. These resources will aid advanced students and experienced practitioners in preparing these analyses. Investing in global health and development requires making difficult choices about what initiatives to fund and what level of resources to devote to each initiative. Although benefit-cost analysis is a well-established and widely-used…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Decision Analysis | Economics/Finance | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Social Determinants | Policy/Regulation | Health/Medicine | Global | Graduate | Doctoral | Professional | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
OrganizationWeb Portal 2024Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis
The Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA), founded in 2007, works to improve the theory and …
The Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis (SBCA), founded in 2007, works to improve the theory and practice of benefit-cost analysis and support evidence-based policy decisions. It addresses policy areas including public health, transportation, criminal justice, education, energy, environmental quality, homeland security, and poverty. Members include scholars and practitioners from around the world, who work in government, academia, nonprofits and private industry. Its members represent numerous disciplines such as economics, law, engineering, public policy, decision science, and…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Climate/Environment | Economics/Finance | Preferences/Values | Priority Setting/Ethics | Costing Methods | Social Determinants | Environmental Health | Policy/Regulation | Business/Industry | Energy/Engineering | Education/Labor | Food/Agriculture | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Military/Defense | Science/Technology | Global | Critical Thinking/Analysis -
ReportPublication 2017DCP3: Injury Prevention and Environmental Health
This report from the World Bank is the seventh volume of the Disease Control Priorities, …
This report from the World Bank is the seventh volume of the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) series and focuses on injury prevention and environmental health. The burden of death and disability resulting from interpersonal violence, road traffic injuries, unintentional injuries, occupational health risks, and climate and pollution falls disproportionately on low- and middle- income countries. This report examines risk factors and offers an economic analysis of platforms to deliver cost-effective interventions to prevent…
Benefit-Cost Analysis | Climate/Environment | Economics/Finance | Costing Methods | Health Outcomes | Evidence Synthesis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Injuries/Accidents | Environmental Health | Policy/Regulation | Global Governance | Culture/Society | Health/Medicine | Global