TY - JOUR
T1 - The relative contribution of outcome domains in the total economic benefit of addiction interventions
T2 - A review of first findings
AU - McCollister, Kathryn E.
AU - French, Michael T.
PY - 2003/12
Y1 - 2003/12
N2 - Aims: This paper provides a focused summary of the relative contribution of addiction intervention outcomes to total economic benefit, based upon a compilation of published economic studies from the United States. Design: The relevant literature was searched extensively, and 11 economic studies were selected for review. Setting: The selected addiction interventions address both alcohol use/abuse and illicit drug use/abuse and represent various treatment modalities, including a brief physician intervention and long-term residential programs. Participants: Study participants included community-based drug users, pregnant and/or parenting women, problem drinkers, and criminal offenders. Measurements: These studies estimated the economic benefits of an addiction intervention(s) in terms of one or more of the following outcome domains: criminal activity, health services utilization, employment earnings, and expenditures on illicit drugs and alcohol. Findings: The primary finding of this review was that avoided criminal activity was the greatest economic benefit of addiction interventions and contributed more, as a separate outcome domain, to the total economic benefit of addiction interventions than any other outcome domain. Reduced utilization of health care services was also a noteworthy economic benefit of addiction interventions. Conclusions: This study provides a detailed exposition of economic benefits estimation and highlights the potential impact of individual outcomes, thus providing a useful resource for substance abuse researchers and administrators as they design and evaluate future interventions.
AB - Aims: This paper provides a focused summary of the relative contribution of addiction intervention outcomes to total economic benefit, based upon a compilation of published economic studies from the United States. Design: The relevant literature was searched extensively, and 11 economic studies were selected for review. Setting: The selected addiction interventions address both alcohol use/abuse and illicit drug use/abuse and represent various treatment modalities, including a brief physician intervention and long-term residential programs. Participants: Study participants included community-based drug users, pregnant and/or parenting women, problem drinkers, and criminal offenders. Measurements: These studies estimated the economic benefits of an addiction intervention(s) in terms of one or more of the following outcome domains: criminal activity, health services utilization, employment earnings, and expenditures on illicit drugs and alcohol. Findings: The primary finding of this review was that avoided criminal activity was the greatest economic benefit of addiction interventions and contributed more, as a separate outcome domain, to the total economic benefit of addiction interventions than any other outcome domain. Reduced utilization of health care services was also a noteworthy economic benefit of addiction interventions. Conclusions: This study provides a detailed exposition of economic benefits estimation and highlights the potential impact of individual outcomes, thus providing a useful resource for substance abuse researchers and administrators as they design and evaluate future interventions.
KW - Addiction treatment
KW - Benefit-cost analyses
KW - Economic benefits
KW - Economic evaluation
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2003.00541.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2003.00541.x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 14651494
AN - SCOPUS:0346158430
VL - 98
SP - 1647
EP - 1659
JO - Addiction
JF - Addiction
SN - 0965-2140
IS - 12
ER -