ArticleBMJ global health2016
Economic valuation of the impact of a large surgical charity using the value of lost welfare approach.
Article in BMJ global health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A Systematic Review of the Cost-Effectiveness of Cleft Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What is Needed?The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association · 2023Pooled it
- Impact of short-term reconstructive surgical missions: a systematic review.BMJ global health · 2019Pooled it
- Estimating the economic burden of diabetes in young adults: A global analysis based on the GBD 2021 and a value of statistical life year framework.Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association · 2026Article
- The Global Economic Burden of Tuberculosis: Regional Disparities and Implications.Open forum infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Global trends, decomposition analysis, inequality assessment, and economic projections of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Estimates and projections of the global economic cost of breast cancers from 2021 to 2050.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Cost-effectiveness of a pediatric operating room installation in Sub-Saharan Africa.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Article
- Financing surgical, obstetric, anaesthesia, and trauma care in the Asia-Pacific region: proceedings.BMC proceedings · 2023Article
- Global and regional projections of the economic burden of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias from 2019 to 2050: A value of statistical life approach.EClinicalMedicine · 2022Article
- The Economic Value of the Delivery of Primary Cleft Surgery in Timor Leste 2000-2017.World journal of surgery · 2020Article
- Developing Metrics to Define Progress in Children's Surgery.World journal of surgery · 2019Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe assessment of the economic burden of surgical disease is integral to determining allocation of resources for health globally. We estimate the economic gain realised over an 11-year period resulting from a vertical surgical programme addressing cleft lip (CL) and cleft palate (CP).
methodsThe database from a large non-governmental organisation (Smile Train) over an 11-year period was analysed. Incidence-based disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted through the programme were calculated, discounted 3%, using disability weights from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and an effectiveness factor for each surgical intervention. The effectiveness factor allowed for the lack of 100% resolution of the disability from the operation. We used the value of lost welfare approach, based on the concept of the value of a statistical life (VSL), to assess the economic gain associated with each operation. Using income elasticities (IEs) tailored to the income level of each country, a country-specific VSL was calculated and the VSL-year (VSLY) was determined. The VSLY is the economic value of a DALY, and the DALYs averted were converted to economic gain per patient and aggregated to give a total value and an average per patient. Sensitivity analyses were performed based on the variations of IE applied for each country.
resultsEach CL operation averted 2.2 DALYs on average and each CP operation 3.3. Total averted DALYs were 1 325 678 (CP 686 577 and CL 639 102). The economic benefit from the programme was between US$7.9 and US$20.7 billion. Per patient, the average benefit was between US$16 133 and US$42 351. Expense per DALY averted was estimated to be $149.
conclusionsAddressing basic surgical needs in developing countries provides a massive economic boost through improved health. Expansion of surgical capacity in the developing world is of significant economic and health value and should be a priority in global health efforts.
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Registered trials
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