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Cost-effectiveness analysis of a communication-focused therapy for pre-school children with autism : results from a randomised controlled trial . BACKGROUND Autism is associated with impairments that have life-time consequences for diagnosed individuals and a substantial impact on families . There is growing interest in early interventions for children with autism , yet despite the substantial economic burden , there is little evidence of the cost-effectiveness of such interventions with which to support resource allocation decisions . This study reports an economic evaluation of a parent-mediated , communication-focused therapy carried out within the Pre-School Autism Communication Trial ( PACT ) . METHODS 152 pre-school children with autism were randomly assigned to treatment as usual ( TAU ) or PACT + TAU . Primary outcome was severity of autism symptoms at 13-month follow-up . Economic data included health , education and social services , childcare , parental productivity losses and informal care . RESULTS Clinically meaningful symptom improvement was evident for 53 % of PACT + TAU versus 41 % of TAU ( odds ratio 1.91 , p = 0.074 ) . Service costs were significantly higher for PACT + TAU ( mean difference £4,489 , p < 0.001 ) , but the difference in societal costs was smaller and non-significant ( mean difference £1,385 , p = 0.788 ) due to lower informal care rates for PACT + TAU . CONCLUSIONS Improvements in outcome generated by PACT come at a cost . Although this cost is lower when burden on parents is included , the cost and effectiveness results presented do not support the cost-effectiveness of PACT + TAU compared to TAU alone . TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN58133827 .
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Intervention_Educational
communication-focused therapy
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Intervention_Educational
parent-mediated , communication-focused therapy
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Intervention_Educational
Pre-School Autism Communication Trial ( PACT ) .
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Intervention_Educational
treatment as usual ( TAU
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Intervention_Educational
PACT
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Intervention_Educational
TAU
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Outcome_Other
Cost-effectiveness analysis
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Outcome_Other
follow-up
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Outcome_Other
Economic data included health
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Outcome_Other
education and social services
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Outcome_Mental
childcare
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Outcome_Mental
parental productivity losses and informal care
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Outcome_Other
RESULTS Clinically meaningful symptom improvement
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Outcome_Other
p = 0.074
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Outcome_Other
Service
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Outcome_Other
but the difference
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Participant_Age
pre-school children
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Participant_Condition
autism
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Participant_Sample-size
152
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Participant_Age
pre-school children
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Participant_Condition
autism