Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment - Cost-Benefit Model Systems to Assist with Priority Setting

Chronic diseases are the main causes of disability and premature death. Lifestyle patterns established in childhood are major contributors to chronic diseases by mid-life, with such diseases affecting around 80% of elderly Australians. Our multidisciplinary team will model the links between health risk factors and chronic diseases, taking account of comorbidities; establish how these links vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors; build models of expenditures relative to benefits; and obtain rankings for prevention and/or treatment initiatives for selected chronic diseases. The findings will provide evidence-based information to assess and compare the costs and benefits of lifestyle modifying and other interventions.