title: The Economic Model of Retinopathy of Prematurity (EcROP) Screening and Treatment: Mexico and the United States.
abstract: To describe an economic (Ec) model for estimating the impact of screening and treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  
  EcROP is a cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analysis.
  
  
  
  We surveyed caregivers of 52 children at schools for the blind or pediatric eye clinics in Atlanta, Georgia and 43 in Mexico City. A decision analytic model with sensitivity analysis determined the incremental cost-effectiveness (primary outcome) and incremental monetary benefit (secondary outcome) of an ideal (100% screening) national ROP program as compared to estimates of current practice. Direct costs included screening and treatment expenditures. Indirect costs estimated lost productivity of caretaker(s) and blind individuals as determined by face-to-face surveys. Utility and effectiveness were measured in quality-adjusted life years and benefit in US dollars. EcROP includes a sensitivity analysis to assesses the incremental cost-effectiveness and societal impact of ROP screening and treatment within a country or economic region. Estimates are based on evidence-based clinical data and region-specific economic data acquired from direct field survey.
  
  
  
  In both Mexico and the United States, an ideal national ROP screening and treatment program was highly cost-saving. The incremental net benefit of an ideal ROP program over current practice is $5556 per child ($206 574 333 annually) and $3628 per child ($205 906 959 annually) in Mexico and the United States, respectively.
  
  
  
  EcROP demonstrates that ROP screening and treatment is highly beneficial for quality of life, cost saving, and cost-effectiveness in the United States and Mexico. EcROP can be applied to any country or region to provide data for informed allocation of limited health care resources.
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Rothschild
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russ
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Association to Prevent Blindness in Mexico (APEC), Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berrones
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Bhavesh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Association to Prevent Blindness in Mexico (APEC), Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maria Ana
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martinez-Castellanos
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Alcides
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: G Baker
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: R V Paul
authors.initials: RVP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Emory Eye Center, Emory University Department of Ophthalmology, and the Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory) Program, Atlanta, Georgia. Electronic address: tolsen@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D018803:Models, Economic; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000191:economics; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States