Economic assessment of a women's group intervention to improve birth outcomes in rural Nepal

Abstract

The authors carried out a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a participatory intervention with women's groups to improve birth outcomes in rural Nepal. The average provider cost of the women's group intervention was US$0·75 per person per year ($0·90 with health-service strengthening) in a population of 86 704. The incremental cost per life-year saved (LYS) was $211 ($251), and expansion could rationalise on start-up costs and technical assistance, reducing the cost per LYS to $138 ($179). Sensitivity analysis showed a variation from $83 to $263 per LYS for most variables. This intervention could provide a cost-effective way of reducing neonatal deaths.

Citation

Borghi, J.; Thapa, B.; Osrin, D.; Jan, S.; Morrison, J.; Tamang, S.; Shrestha, B.P.; Wade, A.; Manandhar, D.S.; Costello, A.M.de L. Economic assessment of a women’s group intervention to improve birth outcomes in rural Nepal. Lancet (2005) 366 (9500) 1882-1884. [DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67758-6]

Economic assessment of a women’s group intervention to improve birth outcomes in rural Nepal

Published 1 January 2005