1. Estimated costs for the delivery of safer conception strategies for HIV-discordant couples in Zimbabwe: A cost analysis
- Author
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Zvavahera M. Chirenje, Caroline Murombedzi, Felix Mhlanga, Thandiwe Chirenda, Nyaradzo Mgodi, Gift Chareka, Carolyn Smith Hughes, Joelle Brown, Allen Matubu, Serah Gitome, Bismark Mateveke, Tinei Makurumure, and James G. Kahn
- Subjects
Male ,Comparative Effectiveness Research ,Total cost ,Cost-Benefit Analysis ,HIV Infections ,030312 virology ,Health informatics ,Health administration ,0302 clinical medicine ,SAFER ,HIV Seropositivity ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,health care economics and organizations ,0303 health sciences ,Family Characteristics ,lcsh:Public aspects of medicine ,Health Policy ,Nursing research ,Semen-washing ,Middle Aged ,Health Services ,PrEP ,Contraception ,Infectious Diseases ,Public Health and Health Services ,Health Policy & Services ,HIV/AIDS ,Female ,Discordant ,Infection ,ART ,Research Article ,Adult ,Zimbabwe ,Anti-HIV Agents ,Cost ,Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities ,Nursing ,03 medical and health sciences ,Young Adult ,Library and Information Studies ,Semen ,Clinical Research ,HIV Seronegativity ,Humans ,Operations management ,Cost database ,business.industry ,Prevention ,HIV ,lcsh:RA1-1270 ,Conception ,Clinical trial ,Time and motion study ,Good Health and Well Being ,Cost Effectiveness Research ,Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ,business - Abstract
Background In recent years, safer conception strategies have been developed to help HIV-serodiscordant couples conceive a child without transmitting HIV to the seronegative partner. The SAFER clinical trial assessed implementation of these strategies in Zimbabwe. Methods As a part of the SAFER study, we estimated the costs (in 2017 $US) associated with individual and combination strategies, in the trial setting and real-world practice, from a healthcare system perspective. Safer conception strategies included: 1) ART with frequent viral load testing until achieving undetectable viral load (ART-VL); 2) daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); 3) semen-washing with intrauterine insemination; and 4) manual self-insemination at home. For costs in the trial, we used a micro-costing approach, including a time and motion study to quantify personnel effort, and estimated the cost per couple for individual and combination strategies for a mean of 6 months of safer services. For real-world practice, we modeled costs for three implementation scenarios, representing differences from the trial in input prices (paid by the Ministry of Health and Child Care [MOHCC]), intervention intensity, and increments to current HIV prevention and treatment practices and guidelines. We used one-way sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of uncertainty in input variables. Results Individual strategy costs were $769–$1615 per couple in the trial; $185–$563 if using MOHCC prices. Under the target intervention intensity and using MOHCC prices, individual strategy costs were $73–$360 per couple over and above the cost of current HIV clinical practices. The cost of delivering the most commonly selected combination, ART-VL plus PrEP, ranged from $166–$517 per couple under the three real-world scenarios. Highest costs were for personnel, lab tests, and strategy-specific consumables, in variable proportions by clinical strategy and analysis scenario. Total costs were most affected by uncertainty in the price of PrEP, number of semen-washing attempts, and scale-up of semen-washing capacity. Conclusions Safer conception methods have costs that may be affordable in many low-resource settings. These cost data will help implementers and policymakers add safer conception services. Cost-effectiveness analysis is needed to assess value for money for safer conception services overall and for safer strategy combinations. Trial registration Registry Name: Clinicaltrials.gov. Trial registration number: NCT03049176. Registration date: February 9, 2017.
- Published
- 2020