Background
This research estimates the broader socioeconomic impacts of reducing pre-hospital
delay times across Australia in patients with heart attack symptoms.
Methods
A cost benefit analysis (CBA) was undertaken to demonstrate the costs and benefits
of a public awareness/education campaign to reduce pre-hospital delay time from 5.2 hours (Base Case) to 4.1 hours (Scenario 1) and 2.0 hours (Scenario 2). All assumptions underlying the CBA are supported by academic literature.
Financial impacts considered include campaign/public education costs, direct inpatient
costs and long-term health care costs. Socioeconomic impacts considered include burden
of disease, productivity losses, informal care costs and net deadweight loss.
Results
The campaign is expected to generate an additional net benefit of $41.2–139.1 million
in comparison to the Base Case, resulting in a benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 3.23–5.06.
Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) reduced by 6,046-7,575 years.
Conclusion
This research illustrates that an investment in public awareness/education campaign
can generate considerable benefits, more than offsetting the costs associated with
the campaign and keeping people living longer such as ongoing health care costs. However,
significant effort, supplementary strategies and sustained investment will be required
to ensure the impact and benefit is sustained over the long term.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 25, 2018
Accepted:
July 23,
2018
Received in revised form:
July 11,
2018
Received:
May 16,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
