Simulation of economical effectiveness of an optimization strategy of folic acid food fortification for women during preparation for and early stages of pregnancy in Hunan Province
YANG Lei, LI Ying-zi, HUA Jun-jie, CHENG Pei-xia, HU Guo-qing
Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
Abstract:Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of an optimization strategy of folic acid food fortification for women planning pregnancy or in early pregnancy in Hunan Province, and to provide a scientific basis forgovernment decision-making and formulating relevant prevention and control strategies. Methods Based on the current policy of folic acid supplementation in Hunan Province, folic acid fortified washing-free rice was recommended for women without oral administration of folic acid tablets during preparation for and early stages of pregnancy. With different coverage rates, cost-effectiveness ratio, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, net benefit and cost-benefit ratio were calculated using data from government and literature review. Results The total costs of the folic acid food fortification optimization strategy with different coverage rates in women planning pregnancy or in early pregnancy in Hunan Province were 36.114-42.736 million Yuan, avoiding 218-222 cases of neural tube defects (NTDs), and the total benefits reached 650.207-662.137 million Yuan. Current policies that recommended women take folic acid tablets to prevent NTDs had the lowest cost-effectiveness ratio, with 157 thousand Yuan per case. In theoptimization strategy, the average cost of reducing one additional case of NTDs was least 1.104 million Yuan. The net benefit of the optimized strategies was higher than that of the original policy; however, the cost-effectiveness ratio decreased gradually as the coverage rate of folic acid fortified washing-free rice increased. Conclusion Oral administration of folic acid tablets is still an optimal NTDs prevention strategy with a lower cost-effectiveness ratio and higher cost-benefit ratio. Popularizing folic acid fortified washing-free rice can improve the total effect and net benefit of NTDs prevention, and it can be promoted among the key group.
杨蕾, 李影子, 华俊杰, 成佩霞, 胡国清. 湖南省备孕和孕初妇女叶酸增补优化策略的效果模拟[J]. 实用预防医学, 2023, 30(2): 190-193.
YANG Lei, LI Ying-zi, HUA Jun-jie, CHENG Pei-xia, HU Guo-qing. Simulation of economical effectiveness of an optimization strategy of folic acid food fortification for women during preparation for and early stages of pregnancy in Hunan Province. , 2023, 30(2): 190-193.