Economic analysis of injury prevention –  applying results and methodologies from cost-of-injury studies

Abstract

Injuries pose an economic problem of immense proportion to communities in every society. The economic burden from injuries can be quantified through cost-of-injury studies, using techniques adopted from cost-of-illness research. This study explores the feasibility of applying results and methodologies from existing cost-of-injury studies in economic analyses of injury prevention interventions and programmes. The literature on cost-of-injury studies and economic appraisals of injury prevention efforts was examined to elicit studies that calculated injury costs. Studies were accepted for inclusion if they included an analysis of the costs of all injuries occurring in a geographical area (community, region or country) during a specific time period, employed a societal perspective and an incidence-based costing approach and were conducted in industrialized countries. There were 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The average total cost per injury case was USD $3536, while the average share of indirect to total cost per injury case was 71%. However, the cost figures showed wide variation across the studies. Based on the limited similarity of findings from the studies, it was concluded that it is not feasible to apply results and methodologies from existing cost-of-injury studies. The cost estimators described in this study could possibly be adapted for use as reference points in economic analyses of existing programmes, but any other uses should be approached with caution. Locally obtained data are needed for reliable economic analyses of injury prevention interventions and programmes.

Health Economic Aspects of Injury Prevention at the Municipal Level

“…Previous studies have shown limited consistency in which costs to include and the methods used in the analysis [100]. Also, there is a general lack of transparent reporting which aggravates comparisons and adjustments of results.…”

“…The drawback is that a much greater sample is required, especially since many of these diagnoses are very rare. Estimating costs for ten different diagnostic groups reveal more than if just one cost for all injuries had been estimated as most other studies have done [100].…”

“…A previous literature review found that the total cost per injury case varied between € 2,578 and € 4,710 with a mean value of € 3,549, after adjusting for CPI and PPP from US 2002 dollars to 2012 prices [100]. The inflation was 27.6 percent during the period and the Euro area PPP factor was 0.79 [110,111].…”

Total costs of injury from accidents in the home and during education, sports and leisure activities: estimates for Norway with assessment of uncertainty

“…Injuries incurring during everyday activities constitute a considerable share of health damage in developed countries [32,33,37,49]. In Nordic countries, injury resulting from accidents is the main cause of premature death in people \65 years of age [25,29].…”

A Cost–Benefit Analysis to Assess the Effectiveness of Frontal Center Curtain Airbag

“…This study focuses on the role of the safety system in sustainable reduction in fatal and injury rate with considering the monetary value of injury severity reduction as the benefits of the safety system installation [4]. Additionally, to estimate the potential passengers who will benefit from the safety system, we forecast the future sales of vehicles that include this system as a basic option.…”