Cost studies

Cost – effectiveness analyses (CEA)

compares the costs and health effects of an intervention to assess the extent to which it can be regarded as providing value for money. This informs decision-makers who have to determine where to allocate limited healthcare resources.

Cost – benefit analyses (CBA)

Assesses whether the cost of an intervention is worth the benefit by measuring both in the same units; monetary units are usually used.

Cost of Illness studies (COI)

The aim of a cost of illness study is to identify and measure all the costs of a particular disease, including the direct, indirect, and intangible dimensions. The output, expressed in monetary terms, is an estimate of the total burden of a particular disease to society.