Cost-effectiveness analysis of text messaging to support health advice for smoking cessation

Abstract Background Smoking in one of the most serious public health problems. It is well known that it constitutes a major risk factor for chronic diseases and leading cause preventable death worldwide. Due to high prevalence smokers, new cost-effective strategies seeking increase smoking cessation rates are needed. Methods We performed Markov model-based cost-effectiveness analysis comparing two treatments: advice provided by general practitioners nurses primary care, reinforced sending motivational text messages smokers’ mobile phones. A model was used which smokers transitioned between three mutually exclusive states (smoker, former smoker dead) after 6-month cycles. calculated ratio associated with messages. Health care society perspectives (separately) adopted. Costs taken into account were direct costs cost lost productivity, respectively. Additionally, deterministic sensitivity modifying probability each option. Results Sending as tool support found be increases €7.4 €1,327 per QALY gained (ICUR) men women respectively from healthcare perspective, significantly far published threshold. From societal combined programmed dominant. Conclusions approach. These findings implantation program across centres.