Cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for annual influenza vaccination among children aged 6 months to 14 years in four provinces in China.
BACKGROUND
To support policy making, we developed an initial model to assess the cost-effectiveness of potential strategies to increase influenza vaccination rates among children in China.


METHODS
We studied on children aged 6 months to 14 years in four provinces (Shandong, Henan, Hunan, and Sichuan), with a health care system perspective. We used data from 2005/6 to 2010/11, excluding 2009/10. Costs are reported in 2010 U.S. dollars.


RESULTS
In comparison with no vaccination, the mean (range) of Medically Attended Cases averted by the current self-payment policy for the two age groups (6 to 59 months and 60 months to 14 years) was 1,465 (23 ∼ 11,132) and 792 (36 ∼ 4,247), and the cost effectiveness ratios were $ 0 (-11-51) and $ 37 (6-125) per case adverted, respectively. In comparison with the current policy, the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of alternative strategies, OPTION One-reminder and OPTION Two-comprehensive package, decreased as vaccination rate increased. The ICER for children aged 6 to 59 months was lower than that for children aged 60 months to 14 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The model is a useful tool in identifying elements for evaluating vaccination strategies. However, more data are needed to produce more accurate cost-effectiveness estimates of potential vaccination policies.
Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Lei
L
Zhou
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Sujian
S
Situ
Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Zijian
Z
Feng
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Charisma Y
CY
Atkins
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America ; Department of Epidemiology, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, United States of America.
Isaac Chun-Hai
IC
Fung
Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-warning on Infectious Disease, Division of Infectious Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Zhen
Z
Xu
Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Ting
T
Huang
Hunan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Shixiong
S
Hu
Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Xianjun
X
Wang
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Martin I
MI
Meltzer
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D018803:Models, Economic; D011446:Prospective Studies
D007252:Influenza Vaccines