ECONOMIC EVALUATION METHODS--DEVELOPMENT & APPLICATIONS

描述：（申请人摘要） 项目评估研究在医疗保健领域有着悠久的传统， 评价方法科学先进，经过实证检验。 然而，药物滥用干预的项目评估是一个相对 新科学，特别是关于经济成本和效益的估计。 缺乏理论和实证经济评价研究， 特别是对药物滥用项目来说， 资金来源（即，保险公司，管理式医疗机构， 州立法机构、国家政府、基金会）要求， 这些方案显示了积极的净效益。 很少有指导， 如何进行或解释经济分析，这些程序是在一个 这对于确保有竞争力的医疗保健资金来说是一个明显的劣势。 给定 对药物滥用进行经济评估研究的巨大需求 文学，拟议的应用程序将完成以下广泛的目标。 1. 发展和提高科学严谨而又切实可行的经济 评估方法，可以很容易地适应各种类型的药物 滥用干预措施，特别是治疗和预防方案。 2. 检验这些经济评价的实用性和科学完整性 方法使用目前资助的药物滥用研究的数据， 没有一个结构化或先进的经济分析组件。 拟议 研究将为调查人员继续进行富有成效的 通过投入资源进行药物滥用经济学研究方案 方法开发和测试的重要任务。 研究与 这一应用的政策意义是直接和广泛的。 一 大多数药物滥用研究人员和从业人员相信， 大多数结构化的药物滥用方案/干预措施是有效的， 相对于其他健康（例如，简短的咨询，自助 团体）和非健康（例如，法律的制裁、胁迫方案） 替代品. 然而，为了保证他们在今天的医疗保健中生存， 环境，药物滥用方案/干预措施必须证明其 通过严格的经济分析， 为客户、公职人员和第三方付款人提供定量证据。

DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Abstract) Program evaluation research has a long tradition in health care and many evaluation methods are scientifically advanced and empirically tested. However, program evaluation of substance abuse interventions is a relatively new science, especially regarding estimation of economic costs and benefits. The dearth of both theoretical and empirical economic evaluation studies is particularly unfortunate for substance abuse programs because contemporary funding sources (i.e., insurance companies, managed care organizations, State legislatures, national government, foundations) are demanding that these programs demonstrate positive net benefits. With little guidance on how to conduct or interpret economic analyses, these programs are at a distinct disadvantage for securing competitive health care dollars. Given the great need for economic evaluation studies in the substance abuse literature, the proposed application will complete the following broad aims. 1. Develop and improve scientifically rigorous yet practical economic evaluation methods that can be readily adapted to various types of drug abuse interventions, particularly treatment and prevention programs. 2. Test the practicality and scientific integrity of these economic evaluation methods using data from currently funded drug abuse research studies that do not have a structured or advanced economic analysis component. The proposed study would provide support for the investigators to continue a productive research program on the economics of substance abuse by committing resources to the important task of methods development and testing. The research and policy significance of this application is immediate and widespread. A majority of substance abuse researchers and practitioners are convinced that most structured substance abuse programs/interventions are effective and cost-effective relative to other health (e.g., brief counseling, self-help groups) and non-health (e.g., legal sanctions, coercion programs) alternatives. However, to guarantee their survival in today's health care environment, substance abuse programs/interventions must demonstrate their economic value through rigorous economic analyses that will generate quantitative evidence for clients, public officials, and third-party payers.