[Economic evaluation of influenza vaccine applied to health personnel attending hospitalised oncological patients].
OBJECTIVE
Performing a cost-effectiveness evaluation of influenza vaccine for health workers coming into close contact with oncological patients from the payer's point of view.


METHODS
As no evidence was found for influenza vaccine effectiveness in oncological patients, the cost-effectiveness of applying the vaccine to health workers coming into close contact with oncological patients was calculated by means of a decision tree; the payer's point of view was adopted. Costs were evaluated in monetary units and effectiveness was measured by the reduction in length of hospital stay for cancer patients as a result of lesser probability of catching the disease because of vaccinating the health workers.


RESULTS
Vaccinating health workers coming into close contact with cancer patients led to savings of $2,978,000 (US$1,324) per day of stay saved.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaccinating health workers coming into close contact with cancer patients proved cost-effective, returning health worker contagion probability higher than or equal to 0.02.
Chicaíza-Becerra
Liliana A
LA
Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. lachicaizab@unal.edu.co
García-Molina
Mario
M
Ballesteros
Mónica
M
Gamboa
Oscar
O
Díaz
Jorge
J
Vega
Ricardo
R
D000328:Adult; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015996:Survival Rate; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines