Economic analysis of early intervention for autistic children: findings from four case studies in England, Ireland, Italy and Spain

Michela Tinelli, Áine Roddy, Martin Knapp, Celso Arango, Maria Andreina Mendez, James Cusack, Roberto Canitano, Bethany Oakley and Vinciane Quoidbach

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Many autistic children experience difficulties in their communication and language skills development, with consequences for social development into adulthood, often resulting in challenges over the life-course and high economic impacts for individuals, families, and society. The Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) intervention is effective in terms of improved social communication and some secondary outcomes. A previously published within-trial economic analysis found that results at 13 months did not support its cost-effectiveness. We modeled cost-effectiveness over 6 years and across four European countries. METHODS: Using simulation modeling, we built on economic analyses in the original trial, exploring longer-term cost-effectiveness at 6 years (in England). We adapted our model to undertake an economic analysis of PACT in Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Data on resource use were taken from the original trial and a more recent Irish observational study. RESULTS: PACT is cost-saving over time from a societal perspective, even though we confirmed that, at 13 months post-delivery, PACT is more expensive than usual treatment (across all countries) when given to preschool autistic children. After 6 years, we found that PACT has lower costs than usual treatment in terms of unpaid care provided by parents (in all countries). Also, if we consider only out-of-pocket expenses from an Irish study, PACT costs less than usual treatment. DISCUSSION: PACT may be recommended as a cost-saving early intervention for families with an autistic child.

Keywords: autism; early intervention; children; cost-effectiveness; public policy; family impacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 10 pages
Date: 2023-09-21
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur
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Published in European Psychiatry, 21, September, 2023, 66(1). ISSN: 1778-3585

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