title: Economic evaluation of methadone maintenance treatment in HIV/AIDS control among injecting drug users in Dehong, China.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze the cost and cost-effectiveness of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China. The cost-effectiveness analysis used process data retrospectively collected from the MMT clinics in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, from July 2005 to December 2007, a 30-month period available at the time of the study. Alternative estimates of the number of HIV infections prevented were calculated using incidence rate from cohort studies and retrospective studies. Program costs were collected retrospectively following standard methods using an ingredients methodology. The cost for each participant treated in MMT clinics was about $9.1-16.7 per month and the intervention averted 8.4-87.2 HIV infections with a cost-effectiveness of US$ 2509.3-4609.3 per HIV infection averted. This research demonstrates that MMT is a cost-effective intervention for reducing HIV transmission among injecting drug users, but the coverage of MMT intervention should be matched with the designed volume of MMT clinics to make the best use of resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Jiangping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Haoyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009294:Narcotics / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000191:economics*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone