ARTHRITIS PATIENT EDUCATION - HOW ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS CAN INFORM HEALTH-POLICY

As Canadian health policy-makers struggle to contain costs while maint aining quality, patient education is promoted as making patients more effective producers of health and consumers of health care. Assessment of existing psychoeducational interventions has concentrated on knowl edge enhancement, behaviour modification, and health status while econ omic outcomes have remained unexplored. Given that such programs are l ikely to be effective, but costly, economic appraisals are necessary t o convince cost-conscious policy-makers. This manuscript describes a c ost-effectiveness evaluation of the Arthritis Self-Management Program (ASMP) that I and my collaborators are conducting by randomizing parti cipants to the ASMP as an adjunct to usual medical care versus usual m edical care. Direct and indirect costs are evaluated through self-repo rting of health services utilization and diminished productivity and e ffectiveness through a visual analogue scale and the SF-36. To influen ce health policy, the results must be disseminated to public health au thorities, private insurers, and patient and health professional organ izations, thereby encouraging funding, increasing awareness, and promo ting participation.