A systematic review of the modelling and economic evaluation studies assessing regulatory options for e-cigarette use.

BACKGROUND: Governments around the world are considering regulating access to nicotine e-cigarettes to prevent uptake among youth however people that smoke tobacco may use them to assist with smoking cessation. The health and cost implications of regulating e-cigarette use among populations are unknown but have been explored in modelling studies. We reviewed health economic evaluation and simulation modelling studies that assessed long-term consequences and interpret their potential usefulness for decision-makers. METHODS: A systematic review with a narrative synthesis was undertaken. Six databases were searched for modelling studies evaluating population-level e-cigarette control policies or interventions restricting e-cigarette use versus more liberalized use. Studies were required to report the outcomes of life years, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and/or healthcare costs. The quality of the studies was assessed using two quality assessment tools. RESULTS: In total, 15 studies were included with nine for the United States and one each for the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Canada, and New Zealand. Three studies included cost-utility analyses. Most studies involved health state transition (or Markov) closed cohort models. Many studies had limitations with their model structures, data input quality and transparency, and insufficient analyses handling model uncertainty. Findings were mixed with 11 studies concluding that policies permitting e-cigarette use lead to net benefits and 4 studies concluding net losses in life-years or QALYs and/or healthcare costs.Five studies had industry conflicts of interest. CONCLUSIONS: While authors did conclude net benefit than net harm in more of the studies so far conducted, the significant limitations that we identified with many of the studies in this review, make it uncertain whether or not countries can expect net population harms or benefits of restrictive versus unrestrictive e-cigarette policies. The generalizability of the findings is limited for decision-makers. In light of the deep uncertainty around the health and economic outcomes of e-cigarettes, simulation modelling methods and uncertainty analyses should be strengthened.

Out-of-pocket health care expenses for people with and without cancer, New South Wales, 2020: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate self-reported out-of-pocket health care expenses, both overall and by cost type, for a large population-based sample of Australians, by cancer status and socio-demographic and medical characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: New South Wales residents participating in the 45 and Up Study (recruited aged 45 years or older during 2005-2009) who completed the 2020 follow-up questionnaire; survey responses linked with New South Wales Cancer Registry data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportions of respondents who reported that out-of-pocket health care expenses during the preceding twelve months exceeded $1000 or $10 000; adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for associations with socio-demographic and medical characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 267 357 recruited 45 and Up Study participants, 45 061 completed the 2020 survey (response rate, 53%); 42.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42.2-43.1%) reported that overall out-of-pocket health care expenses during the previous year exceeded $1000, including 55.4% (52.1-58.7%) of participants diagnosed in the preceding two years and 44.9% (43.7-46.1%) of participants diagnosed with cancer more than two years ago. After adjustment for socio-demographic factors, out-of-pocket expenses greater than $1000 were more likely to be reported by participants with cancer than by those without cancer (diagnosis in past two years: aOR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.77-2.40]; diagnosis more than two years ago: aOR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.15-1.29]). The odds of out-of-pocket expenses exceeding $1000 increased with area-based socio-economic advantage and household income, and were higher for people with private health insurance (v people with Medicare coverage only: aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.53-1.75). Out-of-pocket expenses exceeding $10 000 were also more likely for participants diagnosed with cancer during the past two years (v no cancer: aOR, 3.30; 95% CI, 2.56-4.26). CONCLUSIONS: People diagnosed with cancer during the past two years were much more likely than people without cancer to report twelve-month out-of-pocket health care expenses that exceeded $1000. Out-of-pocket expenses for people with cancer can exacerbate financial strain at a time of vulnerability, and affect health care equity because some people cannot pay for all available treatments.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Primary Prevention Interventions for Skin Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Preventing the onset of skin malignancies is feasible by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation. We reviewed published economic evaluations of primary prevention initiatives in the past decade, to support investment decisions for skin cancer prevention. METHODS: We assessed cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and benefit-cost analyses published from 1 September 2013. Seven databases were searched on 18 July 2023 and updated on 15 November 2023. Studies must have reported outcomes in terms of monetary costs, life years, quality-adjusted life years or variant thereof. A narrative synthesis was undertaken and reporting quality was assessed by three reviewers using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist. RESULTS: In total, 12 studies were included with five studies located in Australia; three in North America and the remaining four in Europe. Interventions included restricting the use of indoor tanning devices (7 studies), television advertising, multi-component sun safety campaigns, shade structures plus protective clothing provision for outdoor workers and provision of melanoma genomic risk information to individuals. Most studies constructed Markov cohort models and adopted a societal cost perspective. Overall, the reporting quality of the studies was high. Studies found highly favourable returns on investment ranging from US$0.35 for every $1 spent on prevention, up to €3.60 for every €1 spent. Other studies showed substantial skin cancers avoided, gains in life years, quality-adjusted survival, and societal cost savings. CONCLUSIONS: From both population health and economic perspectives, allocating limited health care resources to primary prevention of skin cancer is highly favourable.

Perceptions of upper-body problems during recovery from breast cancer treatment.

Despite improved recognition recently, restrictions in upper-body movement continue to cause impairment and distress for many women long after breast cancer treatment. The purpose of this research is to investigate this issue through the perceptions of breast cancer survivors in the context of their everyday lives. Twenty-four women recruited from a private breast clinic in south-eastern Queensland, Australia, participated in a qualitative study. Discussion groups comprised women treated for breast cancer within the previous 18 months. Discussions centred on experiences of physical difficulties, follow-up support, arm lymphoedema and exercise therapy during the women's recoveries. Returning to normal activities for women after breast surgery was felt to take longer than either the women's or their physicians' expectations. Many women reported difficulties in upper-body tasks, which worsened simple everyday responsibilities. The physical impact leads to psychological strain, as the women are constantly reminded of their illness and the possibility they may never return to their full capacity. These upper-body difficulties may include discomfort while driving and sleeping, posture disturbances, reduced employability in physical work, and decreased ability to do housework and gardening. Having lymphoedema or the threat of developing it was very distressing for most women. The potential preventive role of physiotherapy-led exercises to prevent further decline and improve function was strongly emphasised during these discussions. Clinicians need to recognise that it is very common for women with breast cancer to experience upper-body morbidity long after their treatment, and consequently every effort to enhance recovery and avoid further deterioration in function is required.

Natural history of Ross River virus-induced epidemic polyarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the natural history, treatment and cost of Ross River virus-induced epidemic polyarthritis (RRV disease). DESIGN: Questionnaire-based longitudinal prospective study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Patients in the greater Brisbane area, Queensland, diagnosed with RRV disease by their general practitioners based on clinical symptoms and paired serological tests between November 1997 and April 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on two validated quality-of-life questionnaires (Clinical Health Assessment Questionnaire and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36) were obtained soon after diagnosis and one, two, three, six and 12 months thereafter. Scores were compared between patients diagnosed with RRV disease alone and those with RRV disease plus other conditions. RESULTS: 67 patients were enrolled. Most patients with RRV disease alone had severe acute symptoms, but followed a consistent path to recovery within three to six months. Other conditions, often chronic rheumatic diseases or depression, were identified in half the cohort; their quality-of-life scores suggested stable chronic illness between six and 12 months after diagnosis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were taken by 58% of patients (average use, 7.6 weeks; range, 2-22 weeks). Time off work averaged 1.9 days, and direct cost to the community was estimated as 1018 Australian dollars per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Symptom duration and frequency of long-term symptoms may have been overestimated by previous studies of RRV disease. Disease persisting six to 12 months after RRV diagnosis was largely attributable to other conditions, highlighting the need to seek other diagnoses in RRV patients with persistent symptoms.