Open Access
An economic model of behaviour: attitudes towards altruistic blood and organ donations
(2009) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Errea Rodríguez, María; Economía; Ekonomia
The aim of this research is to model altruistic blood and organ donors behaviour. First, we make an analysis of the decision of to be or not to be a donor for any individual. We propose a model where individuals compare the expected utility of deciding to become a donor, with the utility of the alternative decision (not to become a donor). Second, we continue with the identification of the variables having influence over this decision, the expected effects of such a donation (positive and negative) and the importance of the expectations over individuals well-being and the subsequent decision. We work with rational individuals that behave altruistically when making a decision. The model is specific because the goods we consider can only cover vital needs. We posed hypothesis about some variables for each kind of the donations considered (blood and organ donations). This hypothesis can be useful to identify which are the variables having influence actually over this decision. We propose a pilot survey to test our model. First results from a university students survey show the relevant variables influencing blood an organ donations, and seem to confirm the model.
Open Access
Cuestiones controvertidas en evaluación económica (II): medidas de resultado en salud de las intervenciones sanitarias
(Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social (España), 2015) Trapero Bertran, Marta; Brosa Riestra, Max; Espín Balbino, Jaime; Oliva Moreno, Juan; Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Economía; Ekonomia
En este segundo artículo, de una serie de tres, debatiremos, empleando la técnica Metaplan, sobre cuestiones controvertidas de las medidas de resultado en salud en la evaluación económica de intervenciones sanitarias (EEIS). Las cuatro áreas de debate se centraron en: elección de las medidas de resultado en salud: en abstracto ninguna medida es superior a otra. Extrapolación y transferibilidad de las medidas de resultado en salud: los resultados de una EEIS de un país no deberían ser asumidos en otro sin realizar ciertos ajustes de distinto tipo. Instrumentos adecuados para medir la calidad de vida en España: se apuntó el EQ-5D como conveniente debido a su extendido uso internacional. Ycomparaciones indirectas: la combinación de ambas comparaciones, directas e indirectas, sería recomendable si la prueba para las estimaciones indirectas fue consistente y estaba validada. Finalmente, se proponen líneas de investigación para tratar de superar las discrepancias identificadas en cada una de estas áreas, entre las cuáles se encuentran: la realización de estudios de correlación entre puntuaciones de instrumentos específicos y genéricos de medición de calidad de vida, actualizar o crear una base de datos de evaluaciones económicas realizadas en España, la estimación de los conjuntos de utilidades de la población española para instrumentos genéricos y específicos preexistentes o bien, establecer una manera común de mostrar los resultados de un meta-análisis en red.
Open Access
Cost effectiveness analysis of the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence using slings
(2013) Montesino Semper, Manuel F.; Jiménez Calvo, Jesús M.; Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Sánchez Iriso, Eduardo; Hualde Alfaro, Antonio; García García, Diego; Economía; Ekonomia
Objective. To determine the cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence using suburethral slings compared with therapeutic abstention. Study Design. An economic analysis was performed on 69 women receiving surgical treatment for urinary incontinence using suburethral slings. To calculate the procedure´s cost-effectiveness, an incremental analysis up to 1 year was performed using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The costs were calculated using a cost-by-process model. Answers to the health-related quality of life questionnaires EQ-5D (generic) and International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire Short-form (specific) were collected before the operation and as well as 1 month and 1 year post-operation to calculate the utility, using quality-adjusted life years (QALY), and the effectiveness, respectively. A sensitivity analysis was performed by calculating the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) at 5 years post-operation. To complete the economic evaluation, we derived confidence ellipses and acceptability curves. The analysis was conducted for the entire sample and also for each type of urinary incontinence. Results. In total, 45 women presented with stress incontinence, 15 with mixed incontinence and 9 with incontinence associated with prolapse. The average cost per patient at 1 year post-operation was 1,220 €. The QALY achieved at 1 year was 0.046. The results reveal an ICER at 1 year of 26,288 €/QALY, which is below the cost-effectiveness threshold considered acceptable, and this value was lower for stress incontinence (21,191 €/QALY). To achieve greater temporal perspective, we examined the ICER at 5 years, which was 10,141 €/QALY, demonstrating that the programme is clearly efficient. The cost-effectiveness was 106.5 €/ International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire Short-form unit. Conclusion. Surgery for female urinary incontinence using slings is cost-effective compared with abstention in our public health environment.
Open Access
A pilot inquiry on incentives and intrinsic motivation in health care: the motivational capital explained by doctors
(2014) Berdud García-López, Mikel; Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Nieto Vázquez, Jorge; Economía; Ekonomia
Where the contracts are incomplete, the resulting co-ordination problems may be attenuated if workers are intrinsically motivated to do the work. It is established by theoretical and empirical literature that workers within public organizations are intrinsically motivated to exert effort doing the job and have a strong sense of social agents with the mission of providing collective goods to citizens and tax payers. This paper is an empirical pilot study in the health care sector using methods of Qualitative Analysis research. We run semistructured interviews á-la-Bewley to sixteen physicians of Navarre’s health Care Servicio Navarro de Salud-Osasunbidea (SNS-O). The objective of the work is twofold: first, to find empirical evidence about doctors’ non-monetary motives and second, to find evidence about how these non-monetary motives shape doctors’ behavior. We formulate several testable hypotheses: (1) Doctors are intrinsically motivated agents, (2) Economic incentives and control policies may crowd-out intrinsic motivation and (3) Well designed incentives may crowd-in agents intrinsic motivation. Results confirm the hypotheses formulated above and coming from our theoretical findings [11], [12]. Finally, we also found empirical evidence of conflict between political advisors or health managers (principals) and physicians (agents). Results are a step forward in the optimal design of incentive schemes and policies which crowd in doctors’ intrinsic motivation.
Open Access
Health related quality of life of patients with generalized anxiety disorder
(2008) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Sánchez Iriso, Eduardo; Rovira i Forns, Joan; Economía; Ekonomia
Aims: To analyze the health-related quality of life of patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), with respect to the population at large and to a control group. The following goals are addressed: 1.- To determine what, if any, differences exist between the health status of patients diagnosed with GAD, the population in general and a group of control patients; 2.- To analyze the relation between the variables age, sex, and health status (as assessed by the patient’s GP) measured on the Hamilton anxiety scale, with the quality of life of the GAD patients and of the control group; 3.- To determine whether the variables age, sex, Hamilton scale values and index of quality of life influence the annual cost caused by the illness; 4.- To determine whether there are any differences in the evaluation of the same health status made by GAD patients and by the general population. This study forms part of a broader-ranging one (the ANCORA Study) set up to analyze Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and the costs and other burdens provoked by this illness in Spain. Material and Methods: Regression models were used to obtain the EQ-5D index of health state (EQindex) and to analyze the above-mentioned variables. The data on patients and on the costs of the illness are those registered in the ANCORA study. Results: The patients with GAD present a self-perceived level of health (EQ-5D) that is conspicuously below that corresponding to the general population, especially in three of the dimensions, namely usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The mean value of the health index (EQindex) is ten points below that of the general population and that of the control group. Age was found to be negatively related to the health variables, as was a higher score on the Hamilton scale. For the group of patients with GAD, a worse perceived health state and a higher score on the Hamilton scale were associated with higher costs, although in the latter case the explicative power of the model is weak. Finally, the GAD patients assessed their health status more negatively than did the general population, with a visual analogue scale (VAS) result that was four points lower than that made by the general population.
Open Access
Costs and effectiveness of a syringe distribution and needle exchange programme for HIV prevention in a regional setting
(2002) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Sánchez Iriso, Eduardo; Economía; Ekonomia
Objective: To estimate the costs and effectiveness of a HIV prevention intervention consisting of distribution of an anti-Aids kit and needle exchange, in operation since 1993 in Navarra, Spain. Methods: Total costs of the programme, namely production, storage and distribution as well as management, are estimated getting a cost figure per sterile syringe distributed. Effectiveness, defined as the number of averted HIV infections among IDUs due to their injecting behaviour, is estimated as a function of the level of coverage of the programme, using a mathematical model. Results: The estimated number of averted HIV infections ranged from 7.59 (in 1995) to 1.23 (in 2000). Yearly incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) ranged from 8.331 (in 1994) to 44.287 (in 2000) euro per HIV infection averted. With estimated health care costs of treatment of an HIV infection of 99.371 euro, the programme has been cost saving along the whole period considered. One way sensitivity analysis for 5 uncertain parameters was performed. These were the number of active IDUs in the region, number of annual injections among IDUs with non sterile syringes, percentage of lost and unused syringes of the total provided, probability of HIV infection due to injecting behaviour, and life expectancy of HIV+ persons. The results confirm our findings. We conclude the programme has been cost saving from the health care system perspective.
Open Access
La financiación sanitaria autonómica. Bases para una propuesta
(1998) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Economía; Ekonomia
Se analizan las novedades recientes en el debate sobre financiación territorial sanitaria: el nuevo modelo de financiación autonómica para el quinquenio 1997-2001, y la nueva RAWP, fórmula inglesa de reparto financiero sanitario y el acuerdo del Consejo de Polí’tica Fiscal y Financiera de 27 de Noviembre de 1997 estableciendo un mecanismo de financiación de la sanidad de la Seguridad Social para el cuatrienio 1998-2001. La discusión sobre financiación auton—çomica de la sanidad es un asunto donde el consenso deviene crucial, y éste ha de empezar por un acuerdo de principio ético. Consideramos que el principio es la igualdad de oportunidades. Nuestra propuesta consiste en profundizar en la corresponsabilidad fiscal incorporando la sanidad a la financiación autonómica general. En este nuevo marco, habrá que diseñar los mecanismos de garantí’a que permitan el logro de los objetivos de la Ley General de Sanidad. Quedan, así’, establecidas, las bases para una agenda de trabajo para elaborar el acuerdo del año 2001.
Open Access
El EQ-5D como medida de resultados en salud
(Elsevier España, S.L.U., 2015) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Economía; Ekonomia
El EQ-5D ha mostrado su validez y fiabilidad como medida de salud, pero su versión original presentaba algunas limitaciones, como efecto techo y escaso poder discriminatorio, especialmente en los cambios pequeños en los estados de salud más leves. Con objeto de superar estos problemas, el Grupo EuroQol lanzó la versión EQ-5D-5L en 2009, con la adición de dos niveles en cada una de las dimensiones (sin problemas, problemas leves, problemas moderados, problemas graves y problemas extremos/imposibilidad), lo que define un total de 3125 (5) estados de salud. El EQ-5D-5L ha mostrado ser una extensión válida del EQ-5D-3L que mejora las propiedades de medición, y ya se encuentra disponible en más de 120 idiomas. Existe también una versión juvenil, el EQ-5D-Y.
Open Access
Contracting arrangements in the health strategy contex. A regional approach for Spain
(2000) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Gaminde, Idoia; Gabilondo, Luis; Economía; Ekonomia
Background. Several different proposals have been made recently to reform the organisation, financing and management of the health care system in Spain. The aim is to obtain improved efficiency, without prejudicing the equity level already achieved, by creating a more competitive framework. However, current health strategies seem not to be in accord with these proposals. This paper approaches the issue of matching these two main components of the health systems, health strategy and contracts, and emphasises the need to develop contracting arrangements within the general health policy framework. Design: Case studies, analysis of published and unpublished documents, and semi-structured interviews with key informants. Results and discussion. A review of regional health strategies and regional contracts developed in the 1990s is presented, followed by an analysis of the degree of incoherence between them. Then we discuss whether the programme contract can be an instrument guided by the health plan, commenting on its potential and limitations. Conclusion. The relationship between health strategy and health care management is practically non-existent in Spain. The need to insert the contract cycle within the broader framework of the planning cycle has led to proposals to adapt contracts and health plans to guarantee their coherence. This will require changes in the structure of both of these instruments and, probably, deeper structural modifications of the context within which both have been developed. To this aim, we make some recommendations for policy making.
Open Access
Attitudes towards blood and living organ donations
(2010) Cabasés Hita, Juan Manuel; Errea Rodríguez, María; Economía; Ekonomia
We model the decision of whether or not to become a blood/living organ donor. The expected utility for becoming a donor is a function of the degree of altruism, the consumption of goods, the costs of donation, the very pleasure of giving, and the recipient’s utility associated to donation. Empirically, we observe differences in the expected costs and benefits from donation between blood and non-blood donors, and between individuals with different willingness to donate living organs. Looking at benefits/costs of donation through reasons for donating/not donating, we conclude policies to encourage donation should focus on raising awareness and provide information.