title: Creating an aggregate outcome index: cost-effectiveness analysis of substance abuse treatment.
abstract: This article proposes a method of calculating a practical index of improvement for conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis of substance abuse treatment. While the methodology of cost-effectiveness analysis necessitates the use of a single outcome measure, substance abuse treatment can produce multiple, important outcomes that must be considered in policy decisions about funding and alternative treatments. Thus, there is a need to aggregate the variety of outcomes from substance abuse treatment into a single index. The proposed index is a preference-weighted sum of outcomes using data from the Addiction Severity Index. The methodology and use of the index for conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis are illustrated using Addiction Severity Index data from a controlled quasi-experimental field study of case management.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jofre-Bonet
authors.forename: Jody L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sindelar
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015143:Philadelphia; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006113:United Kingdom