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. 2014 Nov 4;17(1):19228. doi: 10.7448/IAS.17.1.19228

Table 2.

Summary of costing and cost-effectiveness studies identified

Intervention, study Setting & target population Intervention description Costing scope and methods Unit cost (2011 US$) CERs (2011 US$) Interpretation and limitations
Male involvement through couple counselling for the prevention of vertical transmission
John et al., 2008
Kenya (urban)
1 ANC clinic
10,000 women enrolled in ANC
HCT included health education, pre-test counselling, testing and post-test counselling. Women attending their first antenatal visit were provided information as a group on HIV-1 infection and vertical transmission prevention interventions, and were then asked to return with their partners after 7 days for HCT. Following pre-test counselling, blood was collected for rapid HIV-1 testing on site and results were disclosed on the same day. Prospective cohort cost and outcome modelling
Incremental financial costing, excluding fixed costs such as rental and utilities
Provider perspective
Bottom-up costing
No sensitivity analysis for cost assumptions
  1. Standard VCT: US$0.84 per woman enrolled in ANC

  2. Couple VCT: US$0.90 per woman enrolled in ANC

  1. Standard VCT: US$95.40 per infant infection averted

    US$16.60 per DALY averted

  2. Couple VCT:

    US$98.45 per infant infection averted

    US$16.60 per DALY averted

  • Could be a critical enabler for a vertical transmission prevention programme; or for an HIV testing for treatment programme (HIV+)

  • Highly cost-effective (cost per DALY averted<Kenya's GDP per capita=US$790)

  • Sensitivity analyses found that couple VCT was more cost-effective in scenarios with increased uptake and higher HIV prevalence

  • Outcomes for parents not considered, i.e., HIV infections averted among discordant couples or DALYs averted from ART

Community mobilization and gender empowerment for FSWs
Vassall et al. (in submission)
India
2 districts
9680 FSWs
This comprehensive HIV prevention programme for high-risk populations had an additional gender-transformative community mobilization component, consisting of the formation of self-help groups, drop-in centres, formation of committees, strengthening of collective action, capacity building, mass events, advocacy and enabling environment. Empirical, incremental economic costing
Modelling of outcomes based on empirical condom use data
Provider perspective
Combined ingredients approach and top-down
Sensitivity analyses conducted for costs
US$18.7– 21 per FSW reached with community mobilization component at least once a year
8.9–19% of the HIV prevention programme was spent on the community mobilization component
US$13.2–19.1 per DALY averted – no ART
Cost saving on average with ART
• Could be a critical enabler to a key population (FSW) programme (HIV+)
• Highly cost-effective (cost per DALY averted<India's GDP per capita=US$1330)
• If ART cost savings are included (assuming 21–40% ART coverage) the intervention becomes cost saving
Female condom programme for commercial sex workers
Marseille et al., 2001
South Africa
Rural population of 3,100,000
A female condom programme serving 1000 commercial sex workers. Modelled incremental financial costs and HIV treatment cost savings
Provider perspective
Bottom-up costing
Sensitivity analyses for cost assumptions, HIV prevalence among sex workers and clients, and number of clients.
US$0.86 per female condom promoted and distributed (US$0.43–1.72)
(US$0.03–0.05 per male condom distributed)a
US$5.2 per FSW reached
(US$199 per FSW reached)a
US$61.28–762.70 per HIV case averted
  • Could be a critical enabler of a condom promotion and distribution programme; or a FSW programme (HIV+)

  • Highly cost-effective: US$32 (no ART)— 56 (ART) per DALY averted in South Africa<South Africa's GDP per capita=US$6090 (excluding treatment cost savings)

  • Limitations: modelled costs

Female condom promotion and distribution
Thomsen et al., 2006
Kenya (urban)
1 NGO site
  1. 210 FSWs

  2. 2382 FSWs (scale-up)

Adding female condom promotion to a male condom programme providing peer education and IEC materials, as well as distributing female condoms. Empirical (1 & 2) and modelled (3) costs
Incremental, financial costing
Provider perspective
Bottom-up costing
  1. US$305 per participant

  2. US$189 per participant (scale-up)

  3. US$100 per participant (scale-up, less substitution)

    (US$29 per FSW reached)a

  1. US$4009 per additional consistent condom user

  2. US$2559 per additional consistent condom user

  3. US$1350 per additional consistent condom user (scale-up, less substitution)

  • Could be part of condom promotion; key populations; or behaviour change programmes (HIV+)

  • Unclear whether cost-effective, as CER not comparable to international standards, but less cost-effective than male condom promotion and high degree of substitution expected where male condom use is high

  • Limitations: modelled costs

Expanded female condom distribution Dowdy et al., 2006
  1. South Africa

  2. Brazil

    Target population not available

Female condom acquisition, distribution, training and education Modelled costs and outcomes for low, medium and high volumes
  1. US$0.29–1.21 per condom distributed

  2. US$0.28–0.82 per condom distributed

    ((1) US$0.03–0.05 and (2) $0.14–0.25 per male condom distributed)a

  1. US$431–1152 per HIV infection averted

  2. US$10,287–23,827 per HIV infection averted

    (Point estimates in different scenarios)

  • Could be a critical enabler of a condom promotion and distribution programme (HIV+)

  • Highly cost-effective in both countries: US$24 (no ART)– 49 (ART) per DALY averted in South Africa<South Africa's GDP per capita=US$6090; and US$880 (no ART)–1499 (ART) per DALY averted in Brazil<Brazil's GDP per capita=US$9390)

  • Limitations: modelled costs, likely to underestimate demand creation costs

Peer education to transform gender norms
Pulerwitz et al., 2006
Brazil
2 NGO sites
258 young men
250 young men
Two models:
  • Interactive group education sessions for young men led by adult male facilitators

  • Group education+community-wide “lifestyle” social marketing campaign to promote condom use, using gender-equitable messages.

Empirical, full financial costing
Provider perspective
Top-down approach
  • US$158 per participant

  • US$106 per participant

  • US$5.00 per participant per hour of group education ($3.80–6.20)

    (US$3.40 per employee reached through peer education)a

Not available
See effectiveness Table (Pulerwitz et al., 2006)
• Could be a critical enabler of behaviour change programmes, with gender equity messaging (HIV+)
• CERs were not estimated in this study, so it is unclear if it is cost-effective
• Limitations: excludes the cost of condoms and other donated inputs, no sensitivity analysis
Mass media edutainment for HIV/AIDS and GBV
Muirhead et al., n.d.
South Africa
Black and coloured adult population (aged 15–49)
The Soul City 4th series was a multimedia edutainment programme producing television drama, radio drama and print materials serialised in 10 national newspapers and booklets around several themes, including HIV/AIDS and violence against women. Empirical, full economic costing
National-level modelling
Provider perspective
US$0.04; $0.28 and $0.35 per person reached by radio, print and television
US$5.2 million per campaign (40% for Violence against Women theme)
(US$12.7 million per HIV mass media campaign)a
US$0.56 per weighted effect on HIV-related action ($0.36–0.77)
  • Could be an enhanced critical enabler with combined HIV and GBV messaging (HIV+)

  • Unclear whether cost-effective, as CER not comparable to international standards

  • 46% (television), 31% (radio) and 34% (print) of total unit cost is for VAW components

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis for survivors of sexual assault
Christofides et al., 2009
South Africa
2 sites (public facility-based and NGO community-based)
Sexual assault survivors
Both models of care provide health and psychosocial support, including a medico-legal examination, HIV testing and counselling, STD treatment, comfort kit, post-exposure prophylaxis therapy for HIV negative survivors. The protocol Empirical (1) modelling at national level (2, 3)
Economic full and incremental costing
Provider perspective
Mixed bottom-up and
  1. US$819 per survivor ($480–1149)

  2. US$402 (full)

  3. US$65 (incremental for PEP)

    (US$29.53 per PEP kit)a

  1. US$50,228 net cost per HIV transmission averted without ART ($5924–972,044)

  2. US$37,470 net cost per HIV transmission averted with full access to ART ($6833–959,287)

  3. US$2311 net cost per life year gained without ART ($272–44,733)

  4. US$2149 net cost per life year gained with full access to ART (−$392–55,005)

  • Could be a development synergy with GBV programmes (Gender+)

  • HIV component=65/402=16% of total, or additional 19% of basic post-rape service package

  • Full intervention is highly cost-effective:

    US$2120 (no ART)– 2729 (ART) per DALY averted<South Africa's GDP per capita=US$6090

includes follow-up monitoring visits for counselling, HIV and pregnancy testing and women are supported through the court process. top-down costing
Includes patient-level, site and central-level costs
Comprehensive post-rape services
Kim et al., 2009
South Africa (rural)
1 public district hospital
409 rape survivors
Refentse model: five-part intervention model, including the establishment of a sexual violence advisory committee, the formulation of a hospital rape management policy, a training workshop for service providers, designated examining room, and community awareness campaigns. Empirical, incremental economic costing
Provider perspective
Mixed top-down (facility-level costs) and bottom-up (patient-level costs)
  1. US$216 per case

  2. US$62.60 per case (excl. start-up development costs)

    (US$29.53 per PEP kit)a

Not available
  • Could be a development synergy with GBV (Gender)

  • Not a cost-effectiveness study

  • Incremental HIV investment is not clearly distinguished from total investment

Comprehensive post-rape services
Kilonzo et al., 2009
Kenya
3 public health centres
784 rape survivors (43% were children <15 years)
The standard of care included clinical evaluation and documentation, clinical management, counselling and referral mechanisms. Targeted training that was knowledge-, skills- and values-based was provided to clinicians, laboratory personnel and trauma counsellors and coordination mechanisms established with the local police. Modelled (over one year)
Financial costing (excludes start-up capital costs)
Provider perspective
Top-down
US$30.10 per survivor
(US$38.75 per PEP kit)a
Not available
  • Could be a development synergy with GBV (Gender)

  • Not a cost-effectiveness study

  • Incremental HIV investment is not clearly distinguished from total investment

  • Limitations: modelled costs, excludes start-up and capital costs, no sensitivity analysis

Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS & Gender Equity (IMAGE)
Jan et al., 2011
South Africa (rural)
12 loan centres
• 855 poor women in initial two-year trial phase
• 2598 poor women in two-year scale-up phase
A gender and HIV training component was added on to a microfinance intervention. The “sisters for life” training curriculum consisted of 10 fortnightly 1-h training and discussion sessions addressing issues such as gender roles, cultural beliefs, relationships, communication, IPV and HIV. Empirical
Incremental, economic costing
Provider perspective
Ingredients approach
  1. US$50.90 per participant

  2. US$15.30 per participant

  1. US$841 per woman with IPV-free year gained

    US$9107 per IPV-related DALY

  2. US$252 per woman with IPV-free year gained

    US$2733 per IPV-related DALY

  • Could be a development synergy with economic empowerment interventions for women (Gender+)

  • Unclear whether cost-effective for HIV, as CER is not for an HIV outcome

  • Multiple outcomes not included in CER, i.e., reductions in HIV risk behaviours, increased reported condom use, increased household revenue, improved gender attitudes

Zomba cash transfer programme to keep girls in school
Baird et al., 2012
Malawi (rural)
2 NGOs
1225 never-married girls aged 13–22 over 18 months
Monthly cash transfers between $4 and 10 provided to households with girls in school or having dropped out at baseline, split between guardian and girl. Conditional group (baseline schoolgirls and dropouts): payment conditional upon 80% school attendance.
Unconditional group (baseline schoolgirls): payment received if girl came to the cash point
Empirical
Incremental, partial, financial costing
Provider perspective
Mixed bottom-up (direct) and top-down (administrative costs and fees) costing
  1. US$231 per girl (trial)

  2. US$92 per girl (at scale)

  1. US$12,831 per HIV infection averted (trial)

  2. US$5132 per HIV infection averted (at scale)

  • Could be a development synergy with girls’ education or social protection (Gender+)

  • Highly cost-effective at scale cost and with no ART assumption: US$212 per DALY averted (<Malawi's GDP per capita=US$330)

  • Cost-effective in other scenarios (US$365–912 per DALY averted) assuming WHO's upper threshold (<3×GDP per capita=US$990)

  • Multiple outcomes not considered in CERs, i.e., reduced HSV-2 prevalence; reduced teen pregnancies; increased school enrolment and attendance

School support for orphan girls
Miller et al., 2013
Zimbabwe
183 orphan girls over 3.3 years
School support, including fees, uniforms and school supplies. Female teachers at each intervention primary school were selected and trained as helpers (approximately one helper to 10 participants) to monitor school attendance and intervene as needed, but not to provide special HIV information or life skills training. Empirical unit costs, modelled ART cost savings and return on education for CER
Incremental, economic costing
Provider perspective
Bottom-up costing
  1. US$1486 per girl (boarders and non-boarders)

  2. US$981 girl (non-boarder)

US$6.05 per QALY gained (ranging from −$544 to $2032 per QALY gained in sensitivity analyses)
  • Could be development synergy with education or social protection (Gender)

  • Highly cost-effective (<Zimbabwe's GDP per capita=US$460), if OVC morbidity is considered an HIV outcome

  • Multiple outcomes considered and monetized on the cost side (return on additional education, ART cost savings)

Education and HIV interventions Duflo et al., 2006 Kenya
328 schools in study (240 schools in intervention groups)
70,000 school girls and boys
Three interventions:
Training teachers in the HIV/AIDS education curriculum designed for primary schools by the Kenyan government
Reducing the cost of education by providing free uniforms
Informing teenagers about variation in HIV rates by age and gender
Empirical incremental economic costing
Provider perspective
Top-down approach
US$5.50 per girl reached
US$11.70 per girl reached
US$1.70 per girl reached
(global range US$11–27 per pupil receiving AIDS education)a
US$1006 per pregnancy averted
US$863 per pregnancy averted
US$105 per pregnancy averted
  • Could be a development synergy with education, in particular school-based AIDS education and youth programmes (Gender and Gender+)

  • Unclear whether cost-effective for HIV, as CER is not for an HIV outcome

  • Limitations: no detailed cost breakdown, no sensitivity analyses for costs

a

Unit costs from the investment framework model (Schwartlander et al., 2011) adjusted to 2011 US$. These are only indicated where available in the same unit and where the study identified does not already compare the incremental cost of the intervention. GBV=gender-based violence; GDP=gross domestic product; ART=antiretroviral therapy; CER=cost-effectiveness ratio; FSW=female sex worker; IPV=intimate partner violence.