6533b855fe1ef96bd12b046a

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Evaluation économique de la prématurité : une première année de vie aux enjeux majeurs : le cas de la France

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This thesis focuses on a first economic assessment of prematurity in France. Prematurity is defined as occurring before 37 weeks of gestation. It is increasing in France and worldwide. If the issues of public health are already well identified, medical care and collective choices concerning prematurity matters also involve significant economic challenges. The first part of this thesis attempts to present the public health issues of prematurity and highlights the remaining efforts required to provide prevention in France. It then considers economic issues on the use of socially fairer resources dedicated to perinatal health in a context where current health expenditure is rising. Assessment of the collective burden of care for preterm infants is necessary and envisaged by a Cost-Of-Illness study. Finally it presents a framework where ethical and economic considerations are complementary. The second part addresses the methodology and results of the study. The study assesses the hospital and non-hospital direct costs for preterm and term births, in the first year of life, from health insurance point of view. It is based on an extraction of data from the National Heal Insurance Inter-Regime Information System. The results of the study highlight in particular the level of average costs associated with extreme prematurity (before 32 weeks) and demonstrate an inverse and significant relationship between average costs and the gestational age (GA) at birth. This economic study invites awareness of the policy makers about the need to provide financial and human resources to anticipate and prevent critical situations associated with prematurity.