title: Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network Series - Paper 4: Economic evaluation of Kangaroo Mother Care: cost utility analysis of results from a randomized controlled trial conducted in Bogotá.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although kangaroo mother care (KMC) has been shown to be safe and effective in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), there are no published complete economic evaluations including the three components of the full intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cost utility analysis performed on the results of an RCT conducted in Bogotá, Colombia between 1993 and 1996. Hospital and ambulatory costs were estimated by microcosting in a sample of preterm infants from a University Hospital in Bogotá in 2011 and at a KMC clinic in the same period. Utility scores were assigned by experts by means of (1) direct ordering and scoring discrete health states and (2) constructing a multi-attribute utility function. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (CIs) for the incremental cost-utility ratios (ICURs) were computed by the Fiellers theorem method. One-way sensitivity analysis on price estimates for valuing costs was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ICUR at 1 year of corrected age was $ -1,546 per extra quality-adjusted life year gained using the KMC method (95% CI $ -7,963 to $ 4,910).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Bogotá, the use of KMC is dominant: more effective and cost-saving. Although results from an economic analysis should not be extrapolated to different systems and communities, this dominant result suggests that KMC could be cost-effective in similar low and middle income countries settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cra 7 #40-62, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Piso 2, Bogotá, DC, Colombia; Fundación Canguro, Calle 44b #53-50, Bogotá, DC, Colombia; Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Cra 7 #40-62, Piso 7, Bogotá, DC, Colombia; Department of Medical and Population Health Sciences Research, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, 11200 SW 8th St. AHC1-344, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. Electronic address: jruiz@javeriana.edu.co.
authors.forename: Juan Gabriel
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Fundación Canguro, Calle 44b #53-50, Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Charpak
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de los Andes, Cra 1 Este #19A-40 Edificio Mario Laserna, Piso 7 Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de los Andes, Cra 1 Este #19A-40 Edificio Mario Laserna, Piso 7 Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de los Andes, Cra 1 Este #19A-40 Edificio Mario Laserna, Piso 7 Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cra 7 #40-62, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Piso 2, Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cra 7 #40-62, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Piso 2, Bogotá, DC, Colombia; Fundación Canguro, Calle 44b #53-50, Bogotá, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: María Adelaida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Córdoba
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000191:economics; D003105:Colombia; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007843:Latin America; D008297:Male; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Colombia; Cost comparison; Cost-effectiveness analysis; Infant; Kangaroo mother care method; Premature; Quality-adjusted life years; Randomized controlled trial