Short-term and long-term cost-effectiveness of a pedometer-based exercise intervention in primary care: a within-trial analysis and beyond-trial modelling.
BMJ Open 2018 ; 8: e021978.
Anokye N, Fox-Rushby J, Sanghera S, Cook DG, Limb E, Furness C, Kerry SM, Victor CR, Iliffe S, Ussher M, Whincup PH, Ekelund U, DeWilde S, Harris T
DOI : 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021978
PubMed ID : 30337309
PMCID : PMC6196874
URL : https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021978
Abstract
A short-term and long-term cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of two pedometer-based walking interventions compared with usual care.
(A) Short-term CEA: parallel three-arm cluster randomised trial randomised by household. (B) Long-term CEA: Markov decision model.
Seven primary care practices in South London, UK.
(A) Short-term CEA: 1023 people (922 households) aged 45-75 years without physical activity (PA) contraindications. (b) Long-term CEA: a cohort of 100 000 people aged 59-88 years.
Pedometers, 12-week walking programmes and PA diaries delivered by post or through three PA consultations with practice nurses.
Accelerometer-measured change (baseline to 12 months) in average daily step count and time in 10 min bouts of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and EQ-5D-5L quality-adjusted life-years (QALY).
Resource use costs (£2013/2014) from a National Health Service perspective, presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for each outcome over a 1-year and lifetime horizon, with cost-effectiveness acceptability curves and willingness to pay per QALY. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses evaluate uncertainty.
(A) Short-term CEA: At 12 months, incremental cost was £3.61 (£109)/min in ≥10 min MVPA bouts for nurse support compared with control (postal group). At £20 000/QALY, the postal group had a 50% chance of being cost saving compared with control. (B) Long-term CEA: The postal group had more QALYs (+759 QALYs, 95% CI 400 to 1247) and lower costs (-£11 million, 95% CI -12 to -10) than control and nurse groups, resulting in an incremental net monetary benefit of £26 million per 100 000 population. Results were sensitive to reporting serious adverse events, excluding health service use, and including all participant costs.
Postal delivery of a pedometer intervention in primary care is cost-effective long term and has a 50% chance of being cost-effective, through resource savings, within 1 year. Further research should ascertain maintenance of the higher levels of PA, and its impact on quality of life and health service use.
ISRCTN98538934; Pre-results.