Practical Benefit‐Cost Analysis for Alcoholism Programs

Abstract

Benefit‐cost analysis is an economic evaluation methodology which can readily be applied to the analysis of small individual alcoholism programs as well as to large alcoholism service delivery systems. Computational examples are given using information routinely collected at intake and follow‐up by the Oklahoma management information system. Only minor modifications are required for programs using NIAAA's National Alcoholism Program Information System (NAPIS). Suggestions are made for improving the validity of the benefit estimates. The potential information gain through the use of benefit‐cost analysis is demonstrated in worked examples.

The prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of high‐risk and problem drinking at an industrial worksite

“…The issue of problem drinking among employees has attracted considerable attention in the literature (Whitehead & Simpkins, 1983;Plant, 1977;Von Wiegand, 1972). Concern has focussed on costs to industry through absenteeism (Pell & D'Alonzo, 1979), loss of productivity (Rundell, Jones & Gregory, 1981), accidents (Observer & Maxwell, 1959) and high staff turnover resulting in loss of skills and expertise and the necessity for retraining of workers (DuPont & Basen, 1980;.…”

Failures in prevention: Why we can't prevent the devastating effect of alcoholism and drug abuse.

“…It is ironic that this apparent decline in the emphasis work site alcoholism programs place on prevention conies when, apparently, these alcoholism programs themselves have become much more widely accepted as cost-effective (Roman, 1981;Rundell, Jones, & Gregory, 1981;Schramm, 1980).…”

Benefits and Costs of a Family-Focused Methadone Treatment and Drug Abuse Prevention Program: Preliminary Findings

“…It was initially used to assess the economic soundness of infrastructure projects such as locks, dams, and highways. Analysts now routinely apply it in evaluations of environmental and occupational safety and health regulations (Cropper and Oates 1992;Viscusi 1985); health and mental health interventions (Keeler and Cretin 1987;Weisbrod 1981); and a wide variety of human resources programs, including ones for alcoholism treatment (Rundell et al 1991;Saxe et al 1983), education (Berrueta-Clement et al 1984), family planning services (Levey et al 1988), job training (Kemper et al 1983;Long et al 1981), vocational rehabilitation (Lewis et al 1992), and welfare-to-work programs (Gueron and Pauly 1991).…”