HEALTH ECONOMICS & MATHEMATICAL
MODELLING OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
SUMMARY
MASTER BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES – INFECTIOUS AND TROPICAL DISEASES
, PPT INTRODUCTION
A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE CONTENT
The course goes from health economics towards economic evaluation, this is an instrument used in
health economics. An intrinsic part of the economic evaluation is modelling, when talking about
infectious diseases and prevention of it, models are quite unavoidable.
The first part is mainly about health economics, it gives a very basic background. There is also a little
bit about economic evaluation, as a tool and basic principles with a flue exercise.
Further in the course there are links with policy making, a part are infectious disease models without
an economic component, models are used to estimate the burden of an infectious disease and the
effects of intervention on the burden of disease.
There is a distinction between different types of models, these feedback into economic evaluation.
There are some special issues for infectious disease prevention, related to mathematical models
themselves and also to some of the issues rising with how economic evaluation is defined for policy.
EXAM INFORMATION
Information:
- Open book: you can bring all course materials, your personal notes, books etc, but you cannot
use internet
- Bring a pocket calculator
- Answer in English or Dutch
- Content: 4 questions (5 points each)
o 2 on health economics (Prof. Bilcke and Prof. Beutels)
o 1 on mathematical modeling (Prof. Hens)
o 1 on individual-based modeling (Prof Willem) and/or within-individual modeling (Prof.
Ogunjimi)
2
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part Prof. Bilcke and Prof. Beutels
- What is economics about p.4 – 21
- Basic principles of an economic evaluation p.22-57
- Specific issues for economic evaluation and policy on infectious disease interventions
p.58-77
- Basic concepts with flue exercise p.78-83
- Uncertainty in model-based economic evaluation p.84-99
- Exercise critical reading scientific paper p.100-105
Part Prof. Hens
- Mathematical modelling p.106-152
Part Prof. Willem
- Individual-based modelling p.153-178
Part Prof Ogunjimi
- Within-individual modeling p.179-182
Exam questions p.183-191
3
, PART HEALTH ECONOMICS
(PROF. BILCKE AND PROF. BEUTELS)
WHAT IS ECONOMICS ABOUT? (PROF. BEUTELS)
WHAT IS ECONOMICS ABOUT?
Basically it is The study of choice
- Economics is about how the decisions made by individuals, firms and the government affect
the way in which resources are distributed in the achievement of goals (set by individuals,
firms or society).
o The most important individual choice is how you spend your time
o As a government there can be many resource allocations.
o In health care the resources that you have are determined by the availability of staff,
medication or hospitals for example.
- It is about how we deal with the problem of scarcity
o By making decisions there will be an effect on resources that are available to achieve
the goals of the individuals, governments…
o Essentially it means that when you make decisions, you set out purpose for the
resources you have available to achieve the goals, but it means that these resources
can’t be used for other things
o It comes down to a problem of scarcity, a central aspect of economics. You can have
many resources, but the general volume or abundance is not large enough to allow
you to do everything you want to do, so you have to make choices.
Health economics
The common goal in health care is to achieve a good health in the population, this can be defined in
different ways.
The main topics in health economics:
- What is the value of health?
- Determinants of health: what determines good health
- Supply of health care
- Demand for health care Market
- Economic evaluation: an instrument to help making policy decisions in health care
- Equity: about justice
- Planning and budgeting: this is different every year
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HEALTH PRODUCTION
The question is, what determines good health? You have to define health in order to investigate it.
Health can be measured as:
- Reduced mortality rates (~1/Life Expectancy)
4
MODELLING OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
SUMMARY
MASTER BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES – INFECTIOUS AND TROPICAL DISEASES
, PPT INTRODUCTION
A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE CONTENT
The course goes from health economics towards economic evaluation, this is an instrument used in
health economics. An intrinsic part of the economic evaluation is modelling, when talking about
infectious diseases and prevention of it, models are quite unavoidable.
The first part is mainly about health economics, it gives a very basic background. There is also a little
bit about economic evaluation, as a tool and basic principles with a flue exercise.
Further in the course there are links with policy making, a part are infectious disease models without
an economic component, models are used to estimate the burden of an infectious disease and the
effects of intervention on the burden of disease.
There is a distinction between different types of models, these feedback into economic evaluation.
There are some special issues for infectious disease prevention, related to mathematical models
themselves and also to some of the issues rising with how economic evaluation is defined for policy.
EXAM INFORMATION
Information:
- Open book: you can bring all course materials, your personal notes, books etc, but you cannot
use internet
- Bring a pocket calculator
- Answer in English or Dutch
- Content: 4 questions (5 points each)
o 2 on health economics (Prof. Bilcke and Prof. Beutels)
o 1 on mathematical modeling (Prof. Hens)
o 1 on individual-based modeling (Prof Willem) and/or within-individual modeling (Prof.
Ogunjimi)
2
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part Prof. Bilcke and Prof. Beutels
- What is economics about p.4 – 21
- Basic principles of an economic evaluation p.22-57
- Specific issues for economic evaluation and policy on infectious disease interventions
p.58-77
- Basic concepts with flue exercise p.78-83
- Uncertainty in model-based economic evaluation p.84-99
- Exercise critical reading scientific paper p.100-105
Part Prof. Hens
- Mathematical modelling p.106-152
Part Prof. Willem
- Individual-based modelling p.153-178
Part Prof Ogunjimi
- Within-individual modeling p.179-182
Exam questions p.183-191
3
, PART HEALTH ECONOMICS
(PROF. BILCKE AND PROF. BEUTELS)
WHAT IS ECONOMICS ABOUT? (PROF. BEUTELS)
WHAT IS ECONOMICS ABOUT?
Basically it is The study of choice
- Economics is about how the decisions made by individuals, firms and the government affect
the way in which resources are distributed in the achievement of goals (set by individuals,
firms or society).
o The most important individual choice is how you spend your time
o As a government there can be many resource allocations.
o In health care the resources that you have are determined by the availability of staff,
medication or hospitals for example.
- It is about how we deal with the problem of scarcity
o By making decisions there will be an effect on resources that are available to achieve
the goals of the individuals, governments…
o Essentially it means that when you make decisions, you set out purpose for the
resources you have available to achieve the goals, but it means that these resources
can’t be used for other things
o It comes down to a problem of scarcity, a central aspect of economics. You can have
many resources, but the general volume or abundance is not large enough to allow
you to do everything you want to do, so you have to make choices.
Health economics
The common goal in health care is to achieve a good health in the population, this can be defined in
different ways.
The main topics in health economics:
- What is the value of health?
- Determinants of health: what determines good health
- Supply of health care
- Demand for health care Market
- Economic evaluation: an instrument to help making policy decisions in health care
- Equity: about justice
- Planning and budgeting: this is different every year
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HEALTH PRODUCTION
The question is, what determines good health? You have to define health in order to investigate it.
Health can be measured as:
- Reduced mortality rates (~1/Life Expectancy)
4
