Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, but studies of ex-smokers suggest quitting can reduce the risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We fitted a function predicting the decline in risk...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2008-09-01
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| Series: | Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation |
| Online Access: | http://www.resource-allocation.com/content/6/1/18 |
| _version_ | 1818807811507748864 |
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| author | Matthews Jane P Hurley Susan F Guymer Robyn H |
| author_facet | Matthews Jane P Hurley Susan F Guymer Robyn H |
| author_sort | Matthews Jane P |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, but studies of ex-smokers suggest quitting can reduce the risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We fitted a function predicting the decline in risk of macular degeneration after quitting to data from 7 studies involving 1,488 patients. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation in terms of its impact on macular degeneration-related outcomes for 1,000 randomly selected U.S. smokers. We used a computer simulation model to predict the incidence of macular degeneration and blindness, the number of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and direct costs (in 2004 U.S. dollars) until age 85 years. Cost-effectiveness ratios were based on the cost of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program. Costs and QALYs were discounted at 3% per year.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>If 1,000 smokers quit, our model predicted 48 fewer cases of macular degeneration, 12 fewer cases of blindness, and a gain of 1,600 QALYs. Macular degeneration-related costs would decrease by $2.5 million if the costs of caregivers for people with vision loss were included, or by $1.1 million if caregiver costs were excluded. At a cost of $1,400 per quitter, smoking cessation was cost-saving when caregiver costs were included, and cost about $200 per QALY gained when caregiver costs were excluded. Sensitivity analyses had a negligible impact. The cost per quitter would have to exceed $77,000 for the cost per QALY for smoking cessation to reach $50,000, a threshold above which interventions are sometimes viewed as not cost-effective.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Smoking cessation is unequivocally cost-effective in terms of its impact on age-related macular degeneration outcomes alone.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T19:31:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e8ff6b5c208645908d2a67e352e4a8a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1478-7547 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T19:31:36Z |
| publishDate | 2008-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8ff6b5c208645908d2a67e352e4a8a92022-12-21T20:55:43ZengBMCCost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation1478-75472008-09-01611810.1186/1478-7547-6-18Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degenerationMatthews Jane PHurley Susan FGuymer Robyn H<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, but studies of ex-smokers suggest quitting can reduce the risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We fitted a function predicting the decline in risk of macular degeneration after quitting to data from 7 studies involving 1,488 patients. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation in terms of its impact on macular degeneration-related outcomes for 1,000 randomly selected U.S. smokers. We used a computer simulation model to predict the incidence of macular degeneration and blindness, the number of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and direct costs (in 2004 U.S. dollars) until age 85 years. Cost-effectiveness ratios were based on the cost of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program. Costs and QALYs were discounted at 3% per year.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>If 1,000 smokers quit, our model predicted 48 fewer cases of macular degeneration, 12 fewer cases of blindness, and a gain of 1,600 QALYs. Macular degeneration-related costs would decrease by $2.5 million if the costs of caregivers for people with vision loss were included, or by $1.1 million if caregiver costs were excluded. At a cost of $1,400 per quitter, smoking cessation was cost-saving when caregiver costs were included, and cost about $200 per QALY gained when caregiver costs were excluded. Sensitivity analyses had a negligible impact. The cost per quitter would have to exceed $77,000 for the cost per QALY for smoking cessation to reach $50,000, a threshold above which interventions are sometimes viewed as not cost-effective.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Smoking cessation is unequivocally cost-effective in terms of its impact on age-related macular degeneration outcomes alone.</p>http://www.resource-allocation.com/content/6/1/18 |
| spellingShingle | Matthews Jane P Hurley Susan F Guymer Robyn H Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation |
| title | Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration |
| title_full | Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration |
| title_fullStr | Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration |
| title_short | Cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age-related macular degeneration |
| title_sort | cost effectiveness of smoking cessation to prevent age related macular degeneration |
| url | http://www.resource-allocation.com/content/6/1/18 |
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