Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #100006

Joseph T. Tasosa, MS, MBA¹, John S. McAlearney, PhD¹, and Richard Schuster, MD, MMM². (1) Health Systems Management , Department of Community Health, Wright State University, 3139 Research Blvd., Suite 205, Kettering, OH 45420, 937.258.5555, joseph.tasosa@wright.edu, (2) School of Medicine, Wright State University, 3139 Research Blvd, Suite 205, Dayton, OH 45420

Objective: To assess the cost effectiveness of early treatment of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) risk factors in the African American and general population. To compare the cost-effectiveness of early treatment of MS risk factors in the African American and general population.

Setting: Adult African American population and general population in the United States.

Method: A cost effectiveness analysis was carried out using a Markov decision model to compare early treatment and late treatment of MS risk factors in African Americans and the general population. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY).

Result: With the exception of early treatment of hyperlipidemia in African Americans ($187,462/QALY), early treatment of individual MS risk factors at age 30 was found to be cost effective (<$7,000/QALY) for both African Americans and the general population. The incremental cost of treating hyperlipidemia, diabetes and hypertension simultaneously in African Americans and the general population at age 30 was $53,140/QALY and $63,926/QALY respectively. With the exception of treatment of hyperlipidemia, early treatment strategies targeted at African Americans were found to be more cost effective than those targeted towards the general population. Sensitivity analyses indicated that age and cost of treatment were the most influential factors in the model. The cost effectiveness of early treatment of MS risk factors in African Americans and the general population compares favorably with similar health care interventions.

Conclusion: Early treatment of MS risk factors saves lives in a cost effective manner. The study supports a growing body of literature that indicates the cost effectiveness of providing preventative services to apparently healthy individuals. Our study also shows that disparate access to quality health care makes African Americans especially susceptible to the adverse effects of MS. We show that reducing these racial disparities by providing early treatment is cost effective.

Learning Objectives:

• To assess the cost effectiveness of early treatment of Metabolic Syndrome risk factors in the African American and general population. To compare the cost-effectiveness of early treatment of MS risk factors in the African American and general population.

Keywords: African American, Community Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.