Mothers deciding how to feed their babies assess the pros and cons of breastfeeding and bottle-feeding. Cost-benefit and cost-utility analyses structure this type of assessment. A cost-benefit analysis measures the relative weights for pros and cons in dollars. A cost-utility analysis measures costs in dollars and effects in quality adjusted life years that are associated with health related quality of life. Economic theory suggests that a mother cares about how she feeds her child and about the potential effects of this decision on her own health, and her child’s health and development. Constraints on time, money, and information limit a mother’s choices and the results she can achieve. The mother’s health affects the constraints; healthier individuals can be productive and have more time for all types of activities. A government or a Medicaid managed care organization trying to improve the health of mothers and infants could provide supplementary social and medical support for low-income mothers interested in breastfeeding. The costs of such an intervention include at least wages, administrative costs, and transportation costs. Cost-savings could occur for two reasons: not providing formula through WIC and potentially lowering the mother’s and child’s health care costs. However, low-income mothers with supplementary support might generate greater costs for well-baby visits. If net costs for the government are not reduced, an assessment of improvements in health related quality of life associated with the extra money spent for breastfeeding support and including the cost implications for the mother would aide in rational resource allocation.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participation in the session will be able to: (1) Understand a basic economic model of the decision concerning whether and how long to breastfeed; (2) Identify the costs and benefits associated with the government’s perspective on providing a breastfeeding support team for mothers on Medicaid; and (3) Describe a societal cost-study of a breastfeeding intervention
Keywords: Breast Feeding, Cost Issues
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.