The cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is one type of a benefit analysis tool used in managerial epidemiology. Others include cost-utility, cost-effectiveness, cost-consequence, and cost of illness. Since medical quality and health services have a high individual perception regarding value, different stakeholders will have different perspectives when performing and interpreting a CEA. Different decision makers, i.e., physicians, administrators, employers, payers, government and other public and private officials all have varying perspectives. Therefore, it is the common perspective that is generally most useful when making comparisons among the various interpretations of the CEA or other cost/benefit analysis results and outcomes. Where does the CEA fit into public health and clinical epidemiological research, as well as, health services research? What are some examples and characteristics of medical cost and effectiveness measures? Be sure in your initial response to provide at least two examples from peer reviewed literature that further clarify or illustrate your response (write 5-6 sentence summaries for each article).
