Overview
Health Economics plays a key role in understanding not only the supply and demand of community health needs but also the effects of such decisions on the larger population. This section will provide the opportunity to consider a public health perspective of cost-benefit analysis and the key goals of conducting this type of assessment.
Review the “Guide to the Fundamentals of Economic Evaluation in Public Health,” supported by the CDC and created in conjunction with USAID and Measure Evaluation.
Read section 6 of the document around cost-benefit analysis, pages 67-87.
Write a 2-4 page essay considering the following questions:
- What questions can cost-benefit analysis answer?
- What benefits and what costs are in a cost-benefit analysis in public health?
- What are the main steps for conducting a cost-benefit analysis?
- What are the main criticisms of cost-benefit analysis?