Abstract
Objectives. To evaluate the cost and benefits of a national rotavirus childhood vaccination program in Mexico. Methods. A decision-analysis model was designed to take the Mexican health care system's perspective on a comparison of two alternatives: to vaccinate against rotavirus or not. Using published, national data, estimations were calculated for the rotavirus illnesses, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) that would be averted and the incremental cost- effectiveness ratios (US$/DALY) of a hypothetical annual birth cohort of 2 285 000 children, with certain assumptions made for cost, coverage, and efficacy rates. Results. With 93% coverage and a vaccine price of US$ 16 per course (2 doses), a rotavirus vaccination program in Mexico would prevent an estimated 651 deaths (or 0.28 deaths per 1 000 children); 13 833 hospitalizations (6.05 hospitalizations per 1 000 children); and 414 927 outpatient visits (182 outpatient visits per 1 000 children) for rotavirus-related acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Vaccination is likely to reduce the economic burden of rotavirus AGE in Mexico by averting US$ 14 million (71% of the overall health care burden). At a vaccine price of US$ 16 per course, the cost-effectiveness ratio would be US$ 1 139 per DALY averted. A reduction in the price of the rotavirus vaccination program (US$ 8 per course) would yield a lower incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US$ 303 per DALY averted. Conclusions. A national rotavirus vaccination program in Mexico is projected to reduce childhood incidence and mortality and to be highly cost-effective based on the World Health Organization's thresholds for cost-effective interventions.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 481-490 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Revista Panamericana de Salud Publica/Pan American Journal of Public Health |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2009 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Gastroenteritis
- Mass immunization
- Mexico
- Rotavirus
- Rotavirus vaccines
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health