The Economics of Evidence-Based Practice in Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence

Economics has much to offer in understanding whether and how clients receive evidence-based treatment. Many steps are required between first determining efficacy, then effectiveness, and making a service or treatment widely available. At each step, economic incentives and effects likely inform decisions and/or can facilitate or block a policymaker's efforts to have those treatments delivered. This chapter reviews the tools of economic analysis. These tools could be used to determine whether an efficacious intervention is cost-efficacious or subsequently that an effective one is cost-effective. The chapter then turns to the economics of dissemination. The contribution of economics at this stage reflects broader considerations raised by health economics. In particular, the chapter outlines whether and how incentives can be used to induce economic agents to change their behavior. It discusses the role of economics from the perspectives of three important stakeholders: the payers, the providers, and the consumers. The discussion is illustrated using the Incredible Years Series, an EBP targeting young children with emotional and behavioral problems. Keywords: economics; evidence-based practice; economic incentives; cost-effectiveness; incentives; Incredible Years