The cost-effectiveness of primary prevention for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

This report covers one stage of a research program undertaken at the Centre for Health Program Evaluation to develop a health planning model for the achievement of allocative efficiency, (Segal and Richardson 1994). The model applies economic principles, within a disease based framework to establish how the health status of the community can be improved by redistribution of health resources for disease prevention and management (in this case for NIDDM) within current budget allocations . The wider research program is concerned with the optimal distribution of health resources, between stages of disease and between health service delivery settings, and models of care. The health planning framework is being applied to non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), in order to demonstrate issues in the application of the model. Research results will also contribute to the identification of the optimal health service mix for the prevention and management of NIDDM. The research program involves economic analyses of interventions for the prevention and management of NIDDM, across all stages of disease from primary prevention, and early diagnosis to patient management for the prevention of complications.