Strategic investment in preventive health care: Quantitative modelling for programme selection and resource allocation

This paper reviews contemporary quantatative approaches to programme selection and resource allocation in preventive health care. For this purpose it is first shown that preventive health programmes are strategic investments. Then the paper gives reasons why cost-effectiveness analysis is the present preferred general frame of reference. Within this framework several representative quantitative policy models are discussed next. In the field of chronic illnesses the paper focuses on the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, the main causes of death and disability in the industrialized countries. Examples from the field of contagious diseases relate to tuberculosis and malaria control, and to the spread of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Finally, the paper presents the case of innovation in preventive health technology from a strategic investment angle.