Cost-effectiveness of a post-exposure HIV chemoprophylaxis program for blood exposures in health care workers.

Abstract

We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis of a post-exposure chemoprophylaxis program for health care workers who sustained exposures to blood. We analyzed a program of (1) treatment with zidovudine alone versus no treatment and (2) treatment with three-drug therapy versus no treatment. Assuming that 35% of exposures were to HIV-positive sources, the zidovudine regimen prevented 53 HIV seroconversions per 100,000 exposures, at a societal cost of $2.0 million per case of HIV prevented. The cost per quality-adjusted life year saved was $175,222. A three-drug chemoprophylactic therapy program (postulating 100% effectiveness and 35% source HIV positivity), prevented 66 seroconversions per 100,000 exposures, at a cost of $2.1 million per case of HIV prevented and $190,392 per quality-adjusted life year saved. Treating sources known to be HIV-positive and treating severe exposures were the most cost-effective strategies.

• Authors: M G Marin, J Van Lieu, A Yee, E Bonner, S Glied
• Journal: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine (J Occup Environ Med) Vol. 41 Issue 9 Pg. 754-60 (Sep 1999) ISSN: 1076-2752 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10491791 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-HIV Agents
• Zidovudine

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-HIV Agents (economics, therapeutic use)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Decision Trees
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• HIV Infections (prevention & control)
• Health Care Costs
• Humans
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional (prevention & control)
• Middle Aged
• Models, Econometric
• New Jersey
• Quality-Adjusted Life Years
• Zidovudine (economics, therapeutic use)