cost – benefit analysis of epilepsy treatment in the health system of kurdestan province, iran

although mental health program has been adopted as one of the components of the primary health care program in iran since 1989 its cost effectiveness has not yet been evaluated in any form. the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of mental health program regarding the treatment of epileptic patients in the kurdestan province.in order to achieve the above goal in a case-contrl study, 92 epileptic patients who were under the coverage of mental health program in phc (case group) were compared in terms of sex, occupation, age, annual inpatient and outpatient contacts, days staying in hospital, as well as mean of annual cost and benefits per patients.the findings ndicated that differences in age, sex, occupation, mean of days staying in the hospital andmean of inpatient contacts between the two groups were not statistically significant, but means of outpatient contacts, annual cost and benefit per aptient contacts, and mean of annual cost per patient was smaller than that for the control group.the findings of the present study provides convincing evidence regarding the positive effects of theintegrated mental health program in iran in increasing outpatient contacts and decreasing cost, as well as improving cost-benefit dimensions in the care of epileptic patients.