Neglected tools for neglected diseases: mathematical models in economic evaluations

Hugo C Turner; Martin Walker; Michael D French; Isobel M Blake; Thomas S Churcher; María-Gloria Basáñez

doi:10.1016/j.pt.2014.10.001

Neglected tools for neglected diseases: mathematical models in economic evaluations

Trends Parasitol. 2014 Dec;30(12):562-70. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2014.10.001. Epub 2014 Nov 15.

Authors

Hugo C Turner¹, Martin Walker², Michael D French³, Isobel M Blake⁴, Thomas S Churcher⁵, María-Gloria Basáñez²

Affiliations

¹ London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK. Electronic address: hugo.turner06@imperial.ac.uk.
² London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.
³ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK; Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.
⁴ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK; MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.
⁵ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine (St Mary's Campus), Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.

PMID: 25455565
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2014.10.001

Abstract

Despite many current interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) being highly cost-effective, new strategies are needed to reach the WHO's control and elimination goals. Here we argue for the importance of incorporating economic evaluations of new strategies in decisions regarding resource allocation. Such evaluation should ideally be conducted using dynamic transmission models that capture inherent nonlinearities in transmission and the indirect benefits ('herd effects') of interventions. A systematic review of mathematical models that have been used for economic analysis of interventions against the ten NTDs covered by the London Declaration reveals that only 16 out of 49 studies used dynamic transmission models, highlighting a fundamental--but addressable--gap in the evaluation of interventions against NTDs.

Keywords: analysis theoretical models; control programmes; cost benefit; cost-effectiveness; economic evaluation studies; epidemiology; mathematical modelling; neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Cost-Benefit Analysis
Humans
Models, Theoretical*
Neglected Diseases / economics
Neglected Diseases / epidemiology
Neglected Diseases / therapy
Research / trends
Resource Allocation
World Health Organization

Grants and funding

MR/K010174/1/MRC_/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom