Economic evaluation of safer choices - A school-based human immunodeficiency virus, other sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy prevention program

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost benefit of Safer Cho ices, a school-based human immunodeficiency virus, other sexually transmitt ed diseases, and unintended pregnancy prevention intervention for high scho ol students. Methods: The baseline cost-effectiveness and cost benefit were derived in 4 steps: (1) estimation of intervention costs; (2) adaptation of the Bernoul li model to translate increases in condom use into cases of human immunodef iciency virus and other sexually transmitted diseases averted, and developm ent of a model to translate increases in contraceptive use into cases of pr egnancy averted; (3) translation of cases averted into medical costs and so cial costs averted; and (4) calculation of the net benefit of the program. Multivariable sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the robustnes s of the base-case results. Results: Under base-case assumptions, at an intervention cost of $105 243, Safer Choices achieved a 15% increase in condom use and an 11% increase in contraceptive use within 1 year among 345 sexually active students. An esti mated 0.12 cases of human immunodeficiency virus, 24.37 cases of chlamydia, 2.77 cases of gonorrhea, 5.86 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, and 18 .5 pregnancies were prevented. For every dollar invested in the program, $2 .65 in total medical and social costs were saved. Results of most of the sc enarios remained cost saving under a wide range of model variable estimates . Conclusions: The Safer Choices program is cost-effective and cost saving in mast scenarios considered. School-based prevention programs of this type w arrant careful consideration by policy makers and program planners. Program cost data should be routinely collected in evaluations of adolescent preve ntion programs.