This study aimed to evaluate the prospective cost-effectiveness of the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety plus (IRIS+) intervention compared with usual care using feasibility data derived from seven UK general practice sites.
A cost–utility analysis was conducted to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of IRIS+, an enhanced model of the UK’s usual care. IRIS+ assisted primary care staff in identifying, documenting and referring not only women, but also men and children who may have experienced domestic violence/abuse as victims, perpetrators or both. A perpetrator group programme was not part of the intervention per se but was linked to the IRIS+ intervention via a referral pathway and signposting. A Markov model was constructed from a societal perspective to estimate mean incremental costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of IRIS+ compared with to usual care over a 10-year time horizon.
The IRIS+ intervention saved £92 per patient and produced QALY gains of 0.003. The incremental net monetary benefit was positive (£145) and the IRIS+ intervention was cost-effective in 55% of simulations at a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000 per QALY.
The IRIS+ intervention could be cost-effective or even cost saving from a societal perspective in the UK, though there are large uncertainties, reflected in the confidence intervals and simulation results.
Quantify the risk of mental health (MH)-related emergency department visits (EDVs) due to heat, in the city of Curitiba, Brazil.
Daily time series analysis, using quasi-Poisson combined with distributed lag non-linear model on EDV for MH disorders, from 2017 to 2021.
All nine emergency centres from the public health system, in Curitiba.
101 452 EDVs for MH disorders and suicide attempts over 5 years, from patients residing inside the territory of Curitiba.
Relative risk of EDV (RREDV) due to extreme mean temperature (24.5°C, 99th percentile) relative to the median (18.02°C), controlling for long-term trends, air pollution and humidity, and measuring effects delayed up to 10 days.
Extreme heat was associated with higher single-lag EDV risk of RREDV 1.03(95% CI 1.01 to 1.05—single-lag 2), and cumulatively of RREDV 1.15 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.26—lag-cumulative 0–6). Strong risk was observed for patients with suicide attempts (RREDV 1.85, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.16) and neurotic disorders (RREDV 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.31). As to demographic subgroups, females (RREDV 1.20, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.34) and patients aged 18–64 (RREDV 1.18, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.30) were significantly endangered. Extreme heat resulted in lower risks of EDV for patients with organic disorders (RREDV 0.60, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.89), personality disorders (RREDV 0.48, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.91) and MH in general in the elderly ≥65 (RREDV 0.77, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.98). We found no significant RREDV among males and patients aged 0–17.
The risk of MH-related EDV due to heat is elevated for the entire study population, but very differentiated by subgroups. This opens avenue for adaptation policies in healthcare: such as monitoring populations at risk and establishing an early warning systems to prevent exacerbation of MH episodes and to reduce suicide attempts. Further studies are welcome, why the reported risk differences occur and what, if any, role healthcare seeking barriers might play.