Publication
Title
Cost-effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination in pregnant women, health care workers and persons with underlying illnesses in Belgium
Author
Abstract
Risk groups with increased vulnerability for influenza complications such as pregnant women, persons with underlying illnesses as well as persons who come into contact with them, such as health care workers, are currently given priority (along with other classic target groups) to receive seasonal influenza vaccination in Belgium. We aimed to evaluate this policy from a health care payer perspective by cost-effectiveness analysis in the three specific target groups above, while accounting for effects beyond the target group. Increasing the coverage of influenza vaccination is likely to be cost-effective for pregnant women (median (sic)6589 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained [(sic)4073-(sic)10,249]) and health care workers (median (sic)24,096/QALY gained [(sic)16,442-(sic)36,342]), if this can be achieved without incurring additional administration costs. Assuming an additional physician's consult is charged to administer each additional vaccine dose, the cost-effectiveness of vaccinating pregnant women depends strongly on the extent of its impact on the neonate's health. For health care workers, the assumed number of preventable secondary infections has a strong influence on the cost-effectiveness. Vaccinating people with underlying illnesses is likely highly cost-effective above 50 years of age and borderline cost-effective for younger persons, depending on relative life expectancy and vaccine efficacy in this risk group compared to the general population. The case-fatality ratios of the target group, of the secondary affected groups and vaccine efficacy are key sources of uncertainty. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Vaccine / International Society for Vaccines. - Amsterdam
Publication
Amsterdam : 2014
ISSN
0264-410X
DOI
10.1016/J.VACCINE.2014.08.085
Volume/pages
32 :46 (2014) , p. 6075-6083
ISI
000343845300009
Pubmed ID
25239481
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 10.12.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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