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The evaluation of lifestyle interventions in the Netherlands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2012

David R. Rappange  and
Werner B. F. Brouwer
David R. Rappange
Affiliation:
Researcher, Department of Health Policy & Management, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Werner B. F. Brouwer*
Affiliation:
Professor of Health Economics, Department of Health Policy & Management, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence to: Werner B.F. Brouwer, Department of Health Policy & Management, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Email: brouwer@bmg.eur.nl
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Abstract

Current investments in preventive lifestyle interventions are relatively low, despite the significant impact of unhealthy behaviour on population health. This raises the question of whether the criteria used in reimbursement decisions about healthcare interventions put preventive interventions at a disadvantage. In this paper, we highlight the decision-making framework used in the Netherlands to delineate the basic benefits package. Important criteria in that framework are ‘necessity’ and ‘cost-effectiveness’. Several normative choices need to be made, and these choices can have an important impact on the evaluation of lifestyle interventions, especially when making these criteria operational and quantifiable. Moreover, the implementation of the decision-making framework may prove to be difficult for lifestyle interventions. Improvements of the decision-making framework in the Netherlands are required to guarantee sound evaluations of lifestyle interventions aimed at improving health.

Type
Articles
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , 02 March 2012 , pp. 243 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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