Randomized controlled trial comparing the costs of gastric cancer screening systems between serological risk-based upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and the existing barium photofluorography: gastric cancer screening labeled by serum examination in place of aged gastric cancer organized screening systems (GALAPAGOS study).

BACKGROUND: Although the risk of gastric cancer can be stratified according to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) IgG antibody titer and pepsinogen levels (ABC classification), a population-based gastric cancer screening system combining serological tests and endoscopy has not been introduced. This study aimed to compare the total testing cost per participant between the ABC classification method and the existing protocol. METHODS: Using the minimization method with sex and age as allocation factors, 1206 participants were randomly assigned to the following two methods for a 5-year intervention: barium photofluorography as primary examination followed by detailed examination with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (Ba-Endo) and risk-based upper gastrointestinal endoscopy by ABC classification (ABC-Endo). The primary endpoint was the total testing cost per participant over a 5-year period. The secondary endpoint was the expense required to detect one gastric cancer. RESULTS: The total testing cost per participant was 39,711 yen in Ba-Endo (604 participants) and 45,227 yen in ABC-Endo (602 participants), with the latter being significantly higher (p < 0.001). During the intervention period, gastric cancer was found in 11 and eight participants in Ba-Endo and ABC-Endo, respectively. The expenses required to detect one gastric cancer were 2,240,931 yen in Ba-Endo and 3,486,662 yen in ABC-Endo. CONCLUSIONS: The testing cost per participant turned out to be higher in the ABC-Endo group than in the Ba-Endo group. This superiority trial, based on the hypothesis that the cost of testing is lower for ABC-Endo than for Ba-Endo, was rejected.

Environmental and psychosocial predictors of cervical cancer screening among women in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, North Central, Nigeria.

Cervical cancer (CC) is the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among Nigerian women. Although screening is a cost-effective strategy for reducing its burden, uptake remains sub-optimal. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 514 sexually active women aged ≥25 years in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria using a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Mean age of respondents was 38.4±11.6years. 246(46.9%) had good knowledge of CC screening while 268(51.2%) had poor knowledge. Religion (aOR:1.8 [95% CI: 1.1 - 3.1]), location (aOR:1.2 [95% CI: 1.2 - 3.4) and number of children (aOR:2.3 [95% CI: 1.3 - 3.9]) were predictors for screening. Poor access routes to health facilities (aOR:0.5 [95% CI: 0.2 - 0.9]), high cost of screening (aOR:0.4 [95% CI: 0.2 - 0.9]), unaware of screening centers (aOR:0.4 [95% CI: 0.2 - 0.9]) and long waiting hours (aOR:0.5 [95% CI: 0.2 - 0.9) were identified environmental predictors. Fear of positive diagnosis/stigma (aOR:0.3 [95% CI: 0.1 - 0.9]), unacceptable touch (aOR:0.2 [95% CI: 0.1 - 0.8), deficiency in awareness programs (aOR:0.3 [95% CI: 0.2 - 0.7]), and not aware of appropriate screening age (aOR:0.1 [95% CI: 0.1 - 0.4]) were identified psychosocial predictors. This study highlights the need to intensify enlightenment programs, subsidize screening services, and encourage community screening.

Low-Value Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening in Older Males.

Importance: The US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines advise against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer in males older than 69 years due to the risk of false-positive results and overdiagnosis of indolent disease. However, this low-value PSA screening in males aged 70 years or older remains common. Objective: To characterize the factors associated with low-value PSA screening in males 70 years or older. Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey study used data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a nationwide annual survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that collects information via telephone from more than 400 000 US adults on behavioral risk factors, chronic illnesses, and use of preventive services. The final cohort comprised male respondents to the 2020 BRFSS survey who were categorized into the following age groups: 70 to 74 years, 75 to 79 years, or 80 years or older. Males with a former or current prostate cancer diagnosis were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcomes were recent PSA screening rates and factors associated with low-value PSA screening. Recent screening was defined as PSA testing within the past 2 years. Weighted multivariable logistic regressions and 2-sided significance tests were used to characterize factors associated with recent screening. Results: The cohort included 32 306 males. Most of these males (87.6%) were White individuals, whereas 1.1% were American Indian, 1.2% were Asian, 4.3% were Black, and 3.4% were Hispanic individuals. Within this cohort, 42.8% of respondents were aged 70 to 74 years, 28.4% were aged 75 to 79 years, and 28.9% were 80 years or older. The recent PSA screening rates were 55.3% for males in the 70-to-74-year age group, 52.1% in the 75-to-79-year age group, and 39.4% in the 80-year-or-older group. Among all racial groups, non-Hispanic White males had the highest screening rate (50.7%), and non-Hispanic American Indian males had the lowest screening rate (32.0%). Screening increased with higher educational level and annual income. Married respondents were screened more than unmarried males. In a multivariable regression model, discussing PSA testing advantages with a clinician (odds ratio [OR], 9.09; 95% CI, 7.60-11.40; P < .001) was associated with increased recent screening, whereas discussing PSA testing disadvantages had no association with screening (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.77-1.17; P = .60). Other factors associated with a higher screening rate included having a primary care physician, a post-high school educational level, and income of more than $25 000 per year. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this survey study suggest that older male respondents to the 2020 BRFSS survey were overscreened for prostate cancer despite the age cutoff for PSA screening recommended in national guidelines. Discussing the benefits of PSA testing with a clinician was associated with increased screening, underscoring the potential of clinician-level interventions to reduce overscreening in older males.

Cancer Screening after the Adoption of Paid-Sick-Leave Mandates.

BACKGROUND: By the end of 2022, nearly 20 million workers in the United States have gained paid-sick-leave coverage from mandates that require employers to provide benefits to qualified workers, including paid time off for the use of preventive services. Although the lack of paid-sick-leave coverage may hinder access to preventive care, current evidence is insufficient to draw meaningful conclusions about its relationship to cancer screening. METHODS: We examined the association between paid-sick-leave mandates and screening for breast and colorectal cancers by comparing changes in 12- and 24-month rates of colorectal-cancer screening and mammography between workers residing in metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) that have been affected by paid-sick-leave mandates (exposed MSAs) and workers residing in unexposed MSAs. The comparisons were conducted with the use of administrative medical-claims data for approximately 2 million private-sector employees from 2012 through 2019. RESULTS: Paid-sick-leave mandates were present in 61 MSAs in our sample. Screening rates were similar in the exposed and unexposed MSAs before mandate adoption. In the adjusted analysis, cancer-screening rates were higher among workers residing in exposed MSAs than among those in unexposed MSAs by 1.31 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 2.34) for 12-month colorectal cancer screening, 1.56 percentage points (95% CI, 0.33 to 2.79) for 24-month colorectal cancer screening, 1.22 percentage points (95% CI, -0.20 to 2.64) for 12-month mammography, and 2.07 percentage points (95% CI, 0.15 to 3.99) for 24-month mammography. CONCLUSIONS: In a sample of private-sector workers in the United States, cancer-screening rates were higher among those residing in MSAs exposed to paid-sick-leave mandates than among those residing in unexposed MSAs. Our results suggest that a lack of paid-sick-leave coverage presents a barrier to cancer screening. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute.).

Understanding the role of access in Hispanic cancer screening disparities.

BACKGROUND: Hispanic populations in the United States experience numerous barriers to care access. It is unclear how cancer screening disparities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals are explained by access to care, including having a usual source of care and health insurance coverage. METHODS: A secondary analysis of the 2019 National Health Interview Survey was conducted and included respondents who were sex- and age-eligible for cervical (n = 8316), breast (n = 6025), or colorectal cancer screening (n = 11,313). The proportion of ever screened and up to date for each screening type was compared.  Regression models evaluated whether controlling for reporting a usual source of care and type of health insurance (public, private, none) attenuated disparities between Hispanics and non-Hispanic White individuals. RESULTS: Hispanic individuals were less likely than non-Hispanic White individuals to be up to date with cervical cancer screening (71.6% vs. 74.6%) and colorectal cancer screening (52.9% vs. 70.3%), but up-to-date screening was similar for breast cancer (78.8% vs. 76.3%). Hispanic individuals (vs. non-Hispanic White) were less likely to have a usual source of care (77.9% vs. 86.0%) and more likely to be uninsured (23.6% vs. 7.1%). In regressions, insurance fully attenuated cervical cancer disparities. Controlling for both usual source of care and insurance type explained approximately half of the colorectal cancer screening disparities (adjusted risk difference: -8.3 [-11.2 to -4.8]). CONCLUSION: Addressing the high rate of uninsurance among Hispanic individuals could mitigate cancer screening disparities. Future research should build on the relative successes of breast cancer screening and investigate additional barriers for colorectal cancer screening. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This study uses data from a national survey to compare cancer screening use those who identify as Hispanic with those who identify as non-Hispanic White. Those who identify as Hispanic are much less likely to be up to date with colorectal cancer screening than those who identify as non-Hispanic White, slightly less likely to be up to date on cervical cancer screening, and similarly likely to receive breast cancer screening. Improving insurance coverage is important for health equity, as is further exploring what drives higher use of breast cancer screening and lower use of colorectal cancer screening.

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of risk-based breast cancer screening in Urban Hebei Province.

To evaluate the implementations of Cancer Screening Program in Urban Hebei and to model the cost-effectiveness of a risk-based breast Cancer Screening Program. Women aged 40-74 years were invited to participate the Cancer Screening Program in Urban Hebei form 2016 to 2020 by completing questionnaires to collect information about breast cancer exposure. Clinical screening including ultrasound and mammography examination were performed. We developed a Markov model to estimate the lifetime costs and benefits, in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALY), of a high-risk breast Cancer Screening Program. Nine screening strategies and no screening were included in the study. The age-specific incidence, transition probability data and lifetime treatment costs were derived and adopted from other researches. Average cost-effectiveness ratios (ACERs) were estimated as the ratios of the additional costs of the screening strategies to the QLYG compared to no screening. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated based on the comparison of a lower cost strategies to the next more expensive and effective strategies after excluding dominated strategies and extendedly dominated strategies. ICERs were used to compare with a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold. Sensitivity analysis was explored the influence factors. A total of 84,029 women completed a risk assessment questionnaire, from which 20,655 high-risk breast cancer females were evaluated, with a high-risk rate of 24.58%. There were 13,392 high-risk females completed the screening program, with participation rate was 64.84%. Undergoing ultrasound, mammography and combined screening, the suspicious positive detection rates were 15.00%, 9.20% and 19.30%, and the positive detection rates were 2.11%, 2.76% and 3.83%, respectively. According to the results by Markov model, at the end of 45 cycle, the early diagnosis rates were 55.53%, 60.68% and 62.47% underwent the annual screening by ultrasound, mammography and combined, the proportion of advanced cancer were 17.20%, 15.85% and 15.36%, respectively. Different screening method and interval yield varied. In the exploration of various scenarios, annual ultrasound screening is the most cost-effective strategy with the ICER of ¥116,176.15/QALY. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the results are robust. Although it was not cost effective, combined ultrasound and mammography screening was an effective strategy for higher positive detection rate of breast cancer. High-risk population-based breast cancer screening by ultrasound annually was the most cost-effective strategy in Urban Hebei Province.

Willingness to pay for packaging cancer screening of Chinese rural residents.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) of rural residents toward packaging cancer screening (PCS) to provide a reference basis for promoting the screening sustainable development. METHODS: A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among rural residents aged 40-69. The combination of double-bounded dichotomous choices and open-ended questions in the Contingent Valuation Method was used to guide participants' WTP. Logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors of participants' screening acceptance, and Tobit model was used to analyze the associated factors of WTP. RESULTS: Of the 959 respondents, 89.36% were willing to accept PCS, but 10.64% stated unwillingness for the dominant reason that they did not attend clinics until symptom onset. Willingness to accept screening was significantly associated with region (Dongchangfu, OR = 0.251, 95%CI: 0.113~0.557; Linqu, OR = 0.150, 95%CI: 0.069~0.325), age with 60-69 (OR = 0.321, 95%CI: 0.126~0.816), annual income with 10,000-30,000 (OR = 1.632, 95%CI: 1.003~2.656) and having cancer-screening experience (OR = 0.581, 95%CI: 0.371~0.909). And 57.66% of participants were willing to pay part of the screening cost among those willing to accept PCS. The residents' average WTP was ¥622, accounting for 20.73% of the total cost (¥3000). Willingness to pay for PCS was positively correlated with male gender, self-employed occupation, residence in Feicheng (than Linqu), higher income, and having cancer-screening experience. CONCLUSIONS: Most rural residents were willing to accept free PCS, more than half of them were willing to pay part of the ¥3000 total cost, but their WTP-values were low. It is necessary to carry out PCS publicity activities to improve public awareness and participation in precancerous screening. Additionally, for expanding the coverage and sustainability of screening, the appropriate proportion of rural residents to pay for screening costs should be controlled at about 20%, and governments, insurance and other sources are encouraged to actively participate to cover the remaining costs.

Updated cost-effectiveness analysis of lung cancer screening for Australia, capturing differences in the health economic impact of NELSON and NLST outcomes.

BACKGROUND: A national, lung cancer screening programme is under consideration in Australia, and we assessed cost-effectiveness using updated data and assumptions. METHODS: We estimated the cost-effectiveness of lung screening by applying screening parameters and outcomes from either the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) or the NEderlands-Leuvens Longkanker Screenings ONderzoek (NELSON) to Australian data on lung cancer risk, mortality, health-system costs, and smoking trends using a deterministic, multi-cohort model. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for a lifetime horizon. RESULTS: The ICER for lung screening compared to usual care in the NELSON-based scenario was AU$39,250 (95% CI $18,150-108,300) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY); lower than the NLST-based estimate (ICER = $76,300, 95% CI $41,750-236,500). In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, lung screening was cost-effective in 15%/60% of NELSON-like simulations, assuming a willingness-to-pay threshold of $30,000/$50,000 per QALY, respectively, compared to 0.5%/6.7% for the NLST. ICERs were most sensitive to assumptions regarding the screening-related lung cancer mortality benefit and duration of benefit over time. The cost of screening had a larger impact on ICERs than the cost of treatment, even after quadrupling the 2006-2016 healthcare costs of stage IV lung cancer. DISCUSSION: Lung screening could be cost-effective in Australia, contingent on translating trial-like lung cancer mortality benefits to the clinic.

One Barrier to Colorectal Cancer Screening Eliminated: On to the Next.

Colorectal cancer screening is one of the best proven and most cost-effective of all preventive interventions. Screening lowers both incidence and mortality. Bearing some of the costs of colonoscopy, also known as cost-sharing, has been a barrier to completion of colonoscopy, both as a primary screen and as a second test to complete screening after an abnormal initial stool or radiologic screening test. While a newly published model concludes that eliminating cost-sharing for colonoscopy after an initial screen is cost-effective, the desired outcome has already been achieved. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services has announced the plan to eliminate this final out of pocket expense starting in 2023. While this is an important step, many barriers to screening for colorectal cancer and all other cancers remain. Eliminating downstream costs that result from an abnormal screen is a difficult to achieve but important goal. See related article by Fendrick et al., p. 653.

Cost-effectiveness and health impact of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography for never smokers in Japan and the United States: a modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Never smokers in Asia have a higher incidence of lung cancer than in Europe and North America. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for never smokers in Japan and the United States. METHODS: We developed a state-transition model for three strategies: LDCT, chest X-ray (CXR), and no screening, using a healthcare payer perspective over a lifetime horizon. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. Main outcomes were costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), life expectancy life-years (LYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and deaths from lung cancer. The willingness-to-pay level was US$100,000 per QALY gained. RESULTS: LDCT yielded the greatest benefits with the lowest cost in Japan, but the ICERs of LDCT compared with CXR were US$3,001,304 per QALY gained for American men and US$2,097,969 per QALY gained for American women. Cost-effectiveness was sensitive to the incidence of lung cancer. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated that LDCT was cost-effective 99.3-99.7% for Japanese, no screening was cost-effective 77.7% for American men, and CXR was cost-effective 93.2% for American women. Compared with CXR, LDCT has the cumulative lifetime potential for 60-year-old Japanese to save US$117 billion, increase 2,339,349 QALYs and 3,020,102 LYs, and reduce 224,749 deaths, and the potential for 60-year-old Americans to cost US$120 billion, increase 48,651 QALYs and 67,988 LYs, and reduce 2,309 deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This modelling study suggests that LDCT screening for never smokers has the greatest benefits and cost savings in Japan, but is not cost-effective in the United States. Assessing the risk of lung cancer in never smokers is important for introducing population-based LDCT screening.

Switching clinic-based cervical cancer screening programs to human papillomavirus self-sampling: A cost-effectiveness analysis of vaccinated and unvaccinated Norwegian women.

Several countries have implemented primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer screening. HPV testing enables home-based, self-collected sampling (self-sampling), which provides similar diagnostic accuracy as clinician-collected samples. We evaluated the impact and cost-effectiveness of switching an entire organized screening program to primary HPV self-sampling among cohorts of HPV vaccinated and unvaccinated Norwegian women. We conducted a model-based analysis to project long-term health and economic outcomes for birth cohorts with different HPV vaccine exposure, that is, preadolescent vaccination (2000- and 2008-cohorts), multiage cohort vaccination (1991-cohort) or no vaccination (1985-cohort). We compared the cost-effectiveness of switching current guidelines with clinician-collected HPV testing to HPV self-sampling for these cohorts and considered an additional 44 strategies involving either HPV self-sampling or clinician-collected HPV testing at different screening frequencies for the 2000- and 2008-cohorts. Given Norwegian benchmarks for cost-effectiveness, we considered a strategy with an additional cost per quality-adjusted life-year below $55 000 as cost-effective. HPV self-sampling strategies considerably reduced screening costs (ie, by 24%-40% across cohorts and alternative strategies) and were more cost-effective than clinician-collected HPV testing. For cohorts offered preadolescent vaccination, cost-effective strategies involved HPV self-sampling three times (2000-cohort) and twice (2008-cohort) per lifetime. In conclusion, we found that switching from clinician-collected to self-collected HPV testing in cervical screening may be cost-effective among both highly vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts of Norwegian women.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of the 2019 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines for the management of abnormal cervical cancer screening tests and cancer precursors.

BACKGROUND: The guidelines for managing abnormal cervical cancer screening tests changed from a results-based approach in 2012 to a risk-based approach in 2019. OBJECTIVE: We estimated the cost-effectiveness of the 2019 management guidelines and the changes in resource utilization moving from 2012 to 2019 guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: We utilized a previously published model of cervical cancer natural history and screening to estimate and compare the lifetime costs and the number of screens, colposcopies, precancer treatments, cancer cases, and cancer deaths associated with the 2012 vs 2019 management guidelines. We assessed these guidelines under the scenarios of observed screening practice and perfect screening adherence to 3-year cytology starting at age 21, with a switch to either 3-year or 5-year cytology plus human papillomavirus cotesting at age 30. In addition, we estimated the lifetime costs and life years to determine the cost-effectiveness of shifting to the 2019 management guidelines. RESULTS: Under the assumptions of both observed screening practice and perfect screening adherence with a strategy of 3-year cytology at ages 21 to 29 and switching to 3-year cotesting at age 30, the management of the screening tests according to the 2019 guidelines was less costly and more effective than the 2012 guidelines. For 3-year cytology screening at ages 21 to 29 and switching to 5-year cotesting at age 30, the 2019 guidelines were more cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per life year gained. Across all scenarios, the 2019 management guidelines were associated with fewer colposcopies and cancer deaths. CONCLUSION: Our model-based analysis suggests that the 2019 guidelines are more effective overall and also more cost-effective than the 2012 guidelines, supporting the principle of "equal management of equal risks."

Change in Colorectal Cancer Tests Submitted for Reimbursement in Switzerland 2012-2018: Evidence from Claims Data of a Large Insurance.

Objectives: Guidelines recommend colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or colonoscopy. In 2013, Switzerland introduced reimbursement of CRC screening by mandatory health insurance for 50-69-years-olds, after they met their deductible. We hypothesized that the 2013 reimbursement policy increased testing rate. Methods: In claims data from a Swiss insurance, we determined yearly CRC testing rate among 50-75-year-olds (2012-2018) and the association with socio-demographic, insurance-, and health-related covariates with multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models. We tested for interaction of age (50-69/70-75) on testing rate over time. Results: Among insurees (2012:355'683; 2018:348'526), yearly CRC testing rate increased from 2012 to 2018 (overall: 8.1-9.9%; colonoscopy: 5.0-7.6%; FOBT: 3.1-2.3%). Odds ratio (OR) were higher for 70-75-year-olds (2012: 1.16, 95%CI 1.13-1.20; 2018: 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.08). Deductible interacted with changes in testing rate over time (p < 0.001). The increase in testing rate was proportionally higher among 50-69-years-olds than 70-75-year-olds over the years. Conclusions: CRC testing rate in Switzerland increased from 2012 to 2018, particularly among 50-69-years-olds, the target population of the 2013 law. Future studies should explore the effect of encouraging FOBT or waiving deductible.

Cost-effectiveness of screening mammography in a low income country: a Markov simulation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. Screening mammography is the only imaging screening study for breast cancer with a proven. mortality benefit. This study aims to analyze the cost-effectiveness of screening mammography in Ethiopia. METHODS: Multistate Markov model was used for computer simulation to estimate cost and health benefits of screening mammography interventions for age-group of 40-49 years and 50-59 years. The cost-effectiveness analysis was made for 4 policies based on where the screening mammography procedures were conducted: government institution only, the private institution only, 50% ratio for each, and 10% private institution policy. Outputs were expressed in total cost, life-years gained (LYG) incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and incremental net monetary benefit (INMB). RESULTS: All 4 policies of annual screening mammography failed to achieve acceptable ICER and lead to a net loss in INMB. The lowest ICER value was for government institution-only policy with 3510.3 USD/LYG and 3224.9 USD/LYG both above the cost-effectiveness threshold of 2808.5 USD. The cost per single death averted for each group was 110,206.7 USD and 77,088.2 USD for age-group 40-49 years and 50-59 years respectively. CONCLUSION: Screening mammography could not be shown to be cost-effective in Ethiopia with the current low cost-effectiveness threshold. Alternative screening approach like annual clinical breast examination may need to be investigated.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Serum Biomarker Test for Risk-Stratified Liver Ultrasound Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Risk-stratified ultrasound screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), informed by a serum biomarker test, enables resources to be targeted to patients at the highest risk of developing cancer. We aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of risk-stratified screening for HCC in the Australian healthcare system. METHODS: A Markov cohort model was constructed to test 3 scenarios for patients with compensated cirrhosis: (1) risk-stratified screening for high-risk patients, (2) all-inclusive screening, and (3) no formal screening. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken to determine the impact of uncertainty. Scenario analyses were used to assess cost-effectiveness in Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to determine the impact of including productivity-related costs of mortality. RESULTS: Both risk-stratified screening and all-inclusive screening programs were cost-effective compared with no formal screening, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of A$39 045 and A$23 090 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), respectively. All-inclusive screening had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of A$4453 compared with risk-stratified screening and had the highest probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of A$50 000 per QALY. Risk-stratified screening had the highest likelihood of cost-effectiveness when the WTP was between A$25 000 and A$35 000 per QALY. Cost-effectiveness results were further strengthened when applied to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cohort and when productivity costs were included. CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhosis population-wide screening for HCC is likely to be cost-effective in Australia. Risk-stratified screening using a serum biomarker test may be cost-effective at lower WTP thresholds.

Factors associated with and socioeconomic inequalities in breast and cervical cancer screening among women aged 15-64 years in Botswana.

BACKGROUND: The most commonly diagnosed cancers among women are breast and cervical cancers, with cervical cancer being a relatively bigger problem in low and middle income countries (LMICs) than breast cancer. METHODS: The main aim of this study was to asses factors associated with and socioeconomic inequalities in breast and cervical cancer screening among women aged 15-64 years in Botswana. This study is part of the broad study on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Botswana conducted (NCD survey) in 2016. The NCD survey was conducted across 3 cities and towns, 15 urban villages and 15 rural areas of Botswana. The survey collected information on several NCDs and risk factors including cervical and breast cancer screening. The survey adopted a multistage sampling design and a sample of 1178 participants (males and females) aged 15 years and above was selected in both urban and rural areas of Botswana. For this study, a sub-sample of 813 women aged 15-64 years was selected and included in the analysis. The inequality analysis was conducted using decomposition analysis using ADePT software version 6. Logistic regression models were used to show the association between socioeconomic variables and cervical and breast cancer screening using SPSS version 25. All comparisons were considered statistically significant at 5%. RESULTS: Overall, 6% and 62% of women reported that they were screened for breast and cervical cancer, respectively. Women in the poorest (AOR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.06-0.45) and poorer (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.14-0.96) wealth quintiles were less likely to report cervical cancer screening compared to women in the richest wealth quintile. Similarly, for breast cancer, the odds of screening were found to be low among women in the poorest (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.06-0.68) and the poorer (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.13-0.81)) wealth quintiles. Concentration indices (CI) showed that cervical (CI = 0.2443) and breast cancer (CI = 0.3975) screening were more concentrated among women with high SES than women with low SES. Wealth status was observed to be the leading contributor to socioeconomic inequality observed for both cervical and breast cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: Findings in this study indicate the need for concerted efforts to address the health care needs of the poor in order to reduce cervical and breast cancer screening inequalities.