Abstract
Background: Despite their potential, there is limited uptake of formal qualitative methods in model development by modellers and health economists. The aim of this case study is to highlight in a real-world context how a qualitative approach has been applied to gain insight into current practice (delineating existing care pathways) for typhoid fever in Ghana which can then assist in model structure conceptualisation in a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis.
Methods: The perspectives of a range of healthcare professionals working in different settings and across different practices in the Eastern region of Ghana were captured with a self-administered survey using open-ended questions and analysed using the framework method.
Results: A total of 51 completed questionnaires were retrieved representing a 73% response rate. It was found that two main care pathways for typhoid fever exist in Ghana and there was no consensus on how a new test might be applied to the existing pathways.
Conclusion: The two settings in Ghana have different care pathways and any cost-effectiveness analysis should consider the alternative pathways separately. This study has demonstrated that framework analysis is a qualitative methodology that is likely to be accessible and feasible across a wide range of health economic settings.
Key points for Decision Makers
• Delineating care pathways during model development can be difficult and qualitative methods play a potentially key role in enhancing this process.
• Integrating qualitative methods in model development can potentially enhance the validity as well as generalizability and credibility of models.
• Framework analysis is a simple but systematic qualitative approach that can potentially enhance the process of model development.
Key words: qualitative techniques; framework method; model development; cost-effectiveness; care pathways; typhoid fever
Methods: The perspectives of a range of healthcare professionals working in different settings and across different practices in the Eastern region of Ghana were captured with a self-administered survey using open-ended questions and analysed using the framework method.
Results: A total of 51 completed questionnaires were retrieved representing a 73% response rate. It was found that two main care pathways for typhoid fever exist in Ghana and there was no consensus on how a new test might be applied to the existing pathways.
Conclusion: The two settings in Ghana have different care pathways and any cost-effectiveness analysis should consider the alternative pathways separately. This study has demonstrated that framework analysis is a qualitative methodology that is likely to be accessible and feasible across a wide range of health economic settings.
Key points for Decision Makers
• Delineating care pathways during model development can be difficult and qualitative methods play a potentially key role in enhancing this process.
• Integrating qualitative methods in model development can potentially enhance the validity as well as generalizability and credibility of models.
• Framework analysis is a simple but systematic qualitative approach that can potentially enhance the process of model development.
Key words: qualitative techniques; framework method; model development; cost-effectiveness; care pathways; typhoid fever
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 723–733 |
| Journal | Applied Health Economics and Health Policy |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 18 Jul 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2018 |
Keywords
- qualitative techniques
- framework method
- model development
- cost-effectiveness
- care pathways
- typhoid fever
Access to Document
- Frempong_et_al_Integrating_qualitative_Applied_Health_Economics_2018
This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40258-018-0411-9