Cost-effectiveness analysis of the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse: Comparison of phase-based treatment and direct trauma-focused treatment
This study compared the cost-effectiveness of a phased-based treatment approach with direct trauma-focused treatment in patients with PTSD and a history of childhood abuse.
Article Abstract
“Background: Policymakers, health insurers, and health care providers are becoming increasingly interested in cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA’s) when choosing between possible treatment alternatives, as costs for mental health care have been increasing in recent years.
Objective: The current study compared the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of a phased-based treatment approach that included a preparatory stabilization phase with direct trauma-focused treatment in patients with PTSD and a history of childhood abuse.
Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted based on data from a randomized controlled trial of 121 patients with PTSD due to childhood abuse. A phase-based treatment (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing [EMDR] therapy preceded by Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation [STAIR]; n = 57) was compared with a direct trauma-focused treatment (EMDR therapy only; n = 64). The primary outcome of cost-effectiveness was the proportion of patients with remitted PTSD. Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) were used as the primary outcome measure for cost-utility analysis.
Results: Although the results of the cost-effectiveness analyses yielded no statistically significant differences between the two groups, the mean societal costs per patient differed significantly between the STAIR-EMDR and EMDR therapy groups (€19.599 vs. €13.501; M cost differences = €6.098, CI (95%) = [€117; €12.644]).
Conclusion: STAIR-EMDR is not cost-effective compared with EMDR-only therapy. Since trauma-focused treatment is less time-consuming, non-trauma-focused phase-based, treatment does not seem to be a viable alternative for the treatment of PTSD due to adverse childhood events.
Clinical trial registration: https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/nl/trial/22074, identifier NL5836.”
—Description from publisher
Article Access
Open Access
van Vliet, N. I., Stant, A. D., Huntjens, R., van Kijk, M. K., & de Jongh, A. (2024). Cost-effectiveness analysis of the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse: Comparison of phase-based treatment and direct trauma-focused treatment. Frontiers in Psychology, 15: 1310372. Open access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1310372
About the Journal
“Frontiers in Psychology is a multidisciplinary journal that publishes advances in psychological research.”
—Description from publisher
Date
June 20, 2024
Creator(s)
Noortje I. van Vliet, A. Dennis Stant, Rafaele Huntjens
Contributor(s)
Maarten K. van Dijk, Ad de Jongh
Topics
Abuse/Neglect, Childhood Trauma, PTSD
Practice & Methods
Comparative Studies, Efficacy
Extent
6 pages
Publisher
Frontiers
Rights
© 2024 van Vliet, Stant, Huntjens, van Dijk and de Jongh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).
APA Citation
van Vliet, N. I., Stant, A. D., Huntjens, R., van Kijk, M. K., & de Jongh, A. (2024). Cost-effectiveness analysis of the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse: Comparison of phase-based treatment and direct trauma-focused treatment. Frontiers in Psychology, 15: 1310372. Open access: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1310372
Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals
Language
English
Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed, RCT
Access Type
External Resource, Open Access