Cost analysis of intervention on supported self - management Tele-SSM for depresssion delivered over the telephone in 2023

Abstract

 This article analyzed the costs of TeleSSM intervention in Vietnam for 75 depressed patients aged 18 - 64. Tele-SSM intervention was a supported self-management for depression delivered over telephones. Cost analysis was conducted using the activitybased – ingredients costing methods from the perspective of the intervention provider. The analytic time horizon corresponded to the timeframe of the intervention program. Scenario-based sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the core cost-component of the intervention. The findings showed that the total cost of the intervention program in three years was estimated at 1,169,099,857 VND. Costs for screening and implementing the intervention, costs for developing intervention materials, and administrative management costs were the top three cost components of the total cost. Personnel cost was a significant portion (64.0% of the preparation phase cost and 78.8% of the implementation phase cost) of the intervention’s total cost. Scenario analysis indicated that when excluding costs related to developing intervention, research activities and administrative management, the cost per counseling session was estimated at 1,093,966 VND per section. This cost analysis provided evidence of the preparation, implementation and sustainability costs of Tele-SSM intervention to planning for the sustainability and expanding the scale of the intervention.