Cost-effectiveness of financial incentives to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes: A pilot randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 2021;16(3):e0248762
Date
03/19/2021Pubmed ID
33735275Pubmed Central ID
PMC7971847DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0248762Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85102739281 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 2 CitationsAbstract
PURPOSE: Determine the cost-effectiveness of three financial incentive structures in obtaining a 1% within group drop in HbA1c among adults with diabetes.
METHODS: 60 African Americans with type 2 diabetes were randomized to one of three financial incentive structures and followed for 3-months. Group 1 (low frequency) received a single incentive for absolute HbA1c reduction, Group 2 (moderate frequency) received a two-part incentive for home testing of glucose and absolute HbA1c reduction and Group 3 (high frequency) received a multiple component incentive for home testing, attendance of weekly telephone education classes and absolute HbA1c reduction. The primary clinical outcome was HbA1c reduction within each arm at 3-months. Cost for each arm was calculated based on the cost of the intervention, cost of health care visits during the 3-month time frame, and cost of workdays missed from illness. Incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated based on achieving a 1% within group drop in HbA1c and were bootstrapped with 1,000 replications.
RESULTS: The ICER to decrease HbA1c by 1% was $1,100 for all three arms, however, bootstrapped standard errors differed with Group 1 having twice the variation around the ICER coefficient as Groups 2 and 3. ICERs were statistically significant for Groups 2 and 3 (p<0.001) indicating they are cost effective interventions.
CONCLUSIONS: Given ICERs of prior diabetes interventions range from $1,000-$4,000, a cost of $1,100 per 1% within group decrease in HbA1c is a promising intervention. Multi-component incentive structures seem to have the least variation in cost-effectiveness.
Author List
Egede LE, Walker RJ, Dismuke-Greer CE, Pyzyk S, Dawson AZ, Williams JS, Campbell JAAuthors
Jennifer Annette Campbell PhD, MPH Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinAprill Z. Dawson PhD, MPH Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Leonard E. Egede MD Center Director, Chief, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Rebekah Walker PhD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Joni Williams MD, MPH Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultCost-Benefit Analysis
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Treatment Outcome
