title: Cost-utility analysis of neonatal screening program, shiraz university of medical sciences, shiraz, iran, 2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The most important cause of infant mortality during the first month of life is related to congenital abnormalities. Nevertheless, timely diagnosis of these diseases can reduce the severity of their effects. The present study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of the neonatal screening program in Fars Province, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, costs of executing the screening programs, treatment of the diagnosed cases, treatment of affected, non-screened individuals, quality of life, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were measured in two study groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performing the screening programs for phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia, and favism resulted in respectively $3386, $13078, $19641, and $1088 saving per patient. Overall, the study results revealed the cost-effectiveness of execution of the neonatal screening program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonatal screening program is one of the health interventions which lead to long-term beneficial outcome for the patients, financial saving for the society, and improvement of the patients' quantity as well as quality of life.
authors.affiliation: School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hatam
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Samad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shirvani
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Javanbakht
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Askarian
authors.affiliation: General Practitioner in Control and Surveillance of Diseases, Unit of Vice-Chancellor for Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rastegar
keywords: Congenital Hypothyroidism; Cost-utility Analysis; Economic Evaluation; Favism; Galactosemia; Phenylketonuria; Screening