Cost-effectiveness of interventions for the treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders

Abstract

In this chapter we discuss methodological issues regarding cost-effectiveness research on treatment strategies for alcohol and other substance use disorders. Alcohol and substance use disorders have been included in public health policy agendas because of their high prevalence and economic burden to society. However, important issues must still be considered in economic evaluations of this topic, such as adopting an appropriate perspective that takes into account all social burdens due to these disorders, that is, including indirect costs of and social gains achieved by the treatments available. User profiles and high dropout are the main hindrances in conducting cost-effectiveness studies aside clinical trials. The cost-effectiveness of the main pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches is described in this chapter, as is the research challenges when considering targeting a population profile.