Module 6: Analysis I. Epidemiological, Medical, and Economics Perspectives

1. Epidemiological and Medical Perspective
2. Economics Perspective

When thinking about the economic impact asses the costs and compare the benefits of the policy and health issue. For example, look at the return on investment (ROI), cost-benefit analysis, cost effectiveness, cost savings, and costs averted. Stakeholders are interested in time and money, and their best choice is learning the end number. Ensure to provide briefly what these numbers are and what they cause. Key terms to ensure you are reviewing when looking at the epidemiological and medical perspective is an attributable risk, mortality rate, and relative risk. Review these terms here. In addition to the timeline, because policy can be enacted now but may not be in effect until a later time, discuss the timeline for the costs and benefits. Bhattacharya (2013) describes a cost-effectiveness analysis has to be conducted as a merit to action for an intervention, therefore review the following: what perspective are you considering then what are the costs associated with that (direct and indirect costs), what is the outcome of the use perspective you chose based on the costs, based on these costs you can assess the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and finally provide a recommendation. It can be time-consuming on finding costs as it is retrieving data from research. It is not advisable to look for datasets and perform your analysis, instead seek research that has already been conducted. Use the resources part of this module to help you in calculating costs. Keep in mind the perspective of the information that the stakeholder(s) need to make a data-driven decision. This is not a policy brief but a health policy analysis.