Health economics perspectives and evaluation of child and adolescent mental health services

Economic issues have been given a higher profile in policy discussions on c hild and adolescent mental health, and also in many practice discussions. T his review asks why this has happened, what economics potentially has to of fer and what it has provided to date. Among other things, the main features of conducting economic research alongside clinical trials for children wit h psychiatric problems are distinguished. The literature includes some cons ideration of costs, cost effectiveness, service descriptions, care burden a nd adulthood longitudinal outcomes. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.