Abstract
Aims: Although the effectiveness of many psychosocial interventions for people with cancer has been established, one barrier to implementation in routine clinical care is a lack of data on cost-effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review of published literature to assess the cost-effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for improving psychological adjustment among people with any type of cancer.
Methods: Systematic review, study quality appraisal,and narrative
synthesis.
Results: Eight studies involving 1,668 patients were identified. Four of these reported outcomes in a cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) framework. Six studies reported psychosocial interventions to be cost-effective for improving health-related quality of life, mood, pain, distress, or fear of cancer progression, compared to usual care. Of these six studies, three were cognitive behavioural therapy based interventions, one was a nurse-delivered telephone follow-up plus educational group program, one was a group based exercise and psychosocial intervention, and one was a series of 10 face-to-face or telephone-based individual support sessions delivered by a nurse. The quality of studies according to the CHEC-list criteria was good overall; however, some studies were limited by their choice of outcome measure and omission of important categories of costs.
Conclusions: Several psychosocial interventions, particularly those based on cognitive behavioural therapy, have been demonstrated to represent good value for money in cancer care. The quality of studies can be improved with a clear definition of the economic question, inclusion of all relevant costs, and consideration of utility-based quality of life measures for QALY estimation. Further research is needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions.
Methods: Systematic review, study quality appraisal,and narrative
synthesis.
Results: Eight studies involving 1,668 patients were identified. Four of these reported outcomes in a cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) framework. Six studies reported psychosocial interventions to be cost-effective for improving health-related quality of life, mood, pain, distress, or fear of cancer progression, compared to usual care. Of these six studies, three were cognitive behavioural therapy based interventions, one was a nurse-delivered telephone follow-up plus educational group program, one was a group based exercise and psychosocial intervention, and one was a series of 10 face-to-face or telephone-based individual support sessions delivered by a nurse. The quality of studies according to the CHEC-list criteria was good overall; however, some studies were limited by their choice of outcome measure and omission of important categories of costs.
Conclusions: Several psychosocial interventions, particularly those based on cognitive behavioural therapy, have been demonstrated to represent good value for money in cancer care. The quality of studies can be improved with a clear definition of the economic question, inclusion of all relevant costs, and consideration of utility-based quality of life measures for QALY estimation. Further research is needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 103 |
| Pages (from-to) | 95 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | S4 |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2015 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | COSA’s 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting: Rare Cancers: Common Goals - The Federation Conference and Exhibition Centre - Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, Australia Duration: 17 Nov 2015 → 19 Nov 2015 |