Cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive–behavioural therapy for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome

ObjectiveTo assess whether exposure-based internet-delivered cognitive–behavioural therapy (internet-CBT) is a cost-effective treatment for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared with a waitlist control, from a societal perspective, based on data from a randomised trial.DesignWithin-trial cost-effectiveness analysis.SettingParticipants were recruited from the whole of Sweden via primary, secondary and tertiary care clinics reached through news media and advertising.ParticipantsAdolescents (aged 13–17) with a diagnosis of IBS.InterventionsParticipants were randomised to either an exposure-based internet-CBT, including 10 weekly modules for adolescents and five modules for parents, or a waitlist.Outcome measuresThe main health outcome was the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) estimated by mapping Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory (PedsQL) scores onto EQ-5D-3L utilities. The secondary outcome was the point improvement on the PedsQL scale. Data on health outcomes and resource use were collected at baseline and 10 weeks post-treatment. Resource use was measured using the Trimbos and Institute of Medical Technology Assessment Cost Questionnaire for Psychiatry (TIC-P) . Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated as the difference in average costs by the difference in average outcomes between groups.ResultsThe base-case results showed that internet-CBT costs were on average US$170.24 (95% CI 63.14 to 315.04) more per participant than the waitlist. Adolescents in the internet-CBT group showed small QALY gains (0.0031; 95% CI 0.0003 to 0.0061), and an average improvement of 5.647 points (95% CI 1.82 to 9.46) on the PedsQL compared with the waitlist. Internet-CBT yielded an ICER of $54 916/QALY gained and a probability of cost-effectiveness of 74% given the Swedish willingness-to-pay threshold. The ICER for the outcome PedsQL was US$85.29/point improvement.ConclusionsOffering internet-CBT to adolescents with IBS improves health-related quality of life and generates small QALY gains at a higher cost than a waitlist control. Internet-CBT is thus likely to be cost-effective given the strong efficacy evidence, small QALY gains and low cost.Trial registration numberNCT02306369; Results.

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Group cognitive behavioural therapy (GCBT) versus treatment as usual (TAU) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BMC Gastroenterology ◽

10.1186/s12876-020-1157-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shino Kikuchi ◽

Yuki Oe ◽

Yohei Sasaki ◽

Hirono Ishii ◽

Yuri Ito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Irritable Bowel Syndrome ◽

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽

Behavioural Therapy ◽

Common Disease ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Cognitive Behavioural ◽

Irritable Bowel ◽

Time Required

Abstract Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disease that affects the quality of life (QOL) and social functioning of sufferers. Visceral anxiety is currently considered a key factor in the onset and exacerbation of IBS, and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) targeting visceral anxiety is thought to be effective. However, access to CBT is limited due to the lack of trained therapists, the substantial time required for therapy and the associated costs. Group CBT (GCBT) may solve some of these problems. We have therefore planned this trial to examine the efficacy of GCBT for IBS. Methods The trial is a two-armed, parallel group, open label, stratified block randomized superiority trial. The study group will consist of 112 participants (aged 18–75 years) with IBS (Rome-III or IV criteria). Participants will be randomly allocated 1:1 to (i) the intervention group: ten-week GCBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) or (ii) the control group: waiting list (WL) plus TAU. The co-primary outcomes are the change in IBS severity or disease-specific quality of life from baseline to week 13 which is 1 month after the end of treatment. The efficacy of GCBT for IBS will be examined through mixed-effects repeated-measures analysis. Discussion GCBT, if found effective, can address the issues of the shortage of therapists as well as the time required and the costs associated with individual CBT. Clinically, the findings will help make effective CBT programmes accessible to a large number of distressed IBS patients at lower costs. Theoretically, the results will clarify the relationship between IBS and psychological stress and will help elucidate the underlying mechanisms of IBS. Trial registration UMIN, CTR-UMIN000031710. Registered on March 13, 2018.

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Economic evaluation of online computerised cognitive–behavioural therapy without support for depression in primary care: randomised trial

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.109.065748 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 196 (4) ◽

pp. 310-318 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

S. A. H. Gerhards ◽

L. E. de Graaf ◽

L. E. Jacobs ◽

J. L. Severens ◽

M. J. H. Huibers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽

Behavioural Therapy ◽

Cost Utility ◽

Significant Group ◽

Efficient Treatment ◽

Cognitive Behavioural ◽

The Cost

BackgroundEvidence about the cost-effectiveness and cost utility of computerised cognitive–behavioural therapy (CCBT) is still limited. Recently, we compared the clinical effectiveness of unsupported, online CCBT with treatment as usual (TAU) and a combination of CCBT and TAU (CCBT plus TAU) for depression. The study is registered at the Netherlands Trial Register, part of the Dutch Cochrane Centre (ISRCTN47481236).AimsTo assess the cost-effectiveness of CCBT compared with TAU and CCBT plus TAU.MethodCosts, depression severity and quality of life were measured for 12 months. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were performed from a societal perspective. Uncertainty was dealt with by bootstrap replications and sensitivity analyses.ResultsCosts were lowest for the CCBT group. There are no significant group differences in effectiveness or quality of life. Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analyses tend to be in favour of CCBT.ConclusionsOn balance, CCBT constitutes the most efficient treatment strategy, although all treatments showed low adherence rates and modest improvements in depression and quality of life.

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