Congenital hypothyroidism control programs. A cost-benefit analysis. JAMA 1979 May 25;241(21):2290-2
Date
05/25/1979Pubmed ID
108409Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0018800921 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 29 CitationsAbstract
Comprehensive screening programs to control congenital hypothyroidism (CH), a preventable form of mental retardation, are being considered by some public health agencies. The proposed programs would test neonates' blood for thyroxine and, if warranted, provide follow-up testing and therapy. The estimated cost of detecting a single case of CH is $9,300, which includes specimen collection, laboratory analysis, and retesting of border-line cases. The present value of the treatment costs of CH adds $2,500 per case, a total cost of $11,800 per case detected and child treated. The economic benefits (averted costs of institutionalization and special education and increased productivity of the affected person) are estimated to have a present value of $105,000 per case, yielding a cost-benefit ratio of 1:8.9.
Author List
Layde PM, Von Allmen SD, Oakley GP JrAuthor
Peter M. Layde MS, MD Emeritus Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Congenital Hypothyroidism
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Humans
Hypothyroidism
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Institutionalization
Intellectual Disability
Life Expectancy
Mass Screening
Middle Aged
United States
