Designing and Conducting Cost-Effectiveness Analyses in Medicine and Health Care

The field of cost–effectiveness analysis has lacked an entry–level textbook until now. Designing and Conducting Cost–Effectiveness Analyses in Medicine and Health Care is a hands–on guide for conducting economic analyses that closely follows the recommendations of the Panel on Cost–Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. Step by step, Dr. Muennig outlines the theory and practice of cost–effectiveness and shows how to develop an original research question, retrieve data, design a decision analysis tree, calculate quality–adjusted life years, and test for error in analysis. The book provides clear and detailed instruction and includes a review of the epidemiological and biostatistical skills students need to conduct cost–effectiveness analyses. While the book is designed for students, it includes advanced topics for policymakers, community health experts, and preventive medicine residents who are interested in the field. The book uses a worked example to walk the reader through the process of designing and conducting an analysis and provides links to all of the major Internet–accessible sources of government data. This book will be a welcome addition to the library of students and seasoned researchers alike.