title: [Cost-benefit analysis: HIV/AIDS prevention in migrants in Central America].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the costs and benefits of three HIV prevention interventions in migrants in Central America: voluntary counseling and testing, treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and condom distribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methods were: a) identification and quantification of costs; b) quantification of benefits, defined as the potential savings in antiretroviral treatment of HIV cases prevented; and c) estimation of the cost-benefit ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model estimated that 9, 21 and 8 cases of HIV were prevented by voluntary counseling and testing, treatment for sexually transmitted infections and condom distribution per 10 000 migrants, respectively. In Panama, condom distribution and treatment for sexually transmitted infections had a return of US$131/USD and US$69.8/USD. Returns in El Salvador were US$2.0/USD and US$42.3/USD in voluntary counseling and testing and condom distribution, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The potential savings on prevention have a large variation between countries. Nevertheless, the cost-benefit estimates suggest that the HIV prevention programs in Central America can potentially result in monetary savings in the long run.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alarid-Escudero
authors.forename: Sandra G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Sosa-Rubí
authors.forename: Bertha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Galárraga
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D002489:Central America; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D014171:Transients and Migrants
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