Marta Banaszczyk-Ruś
Public Health and Governance, Volume 14, Issue 4, 2016, pp. 244 - 253
https://doi.org/10.4467/20842627OZ.16.025.5894The aim of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of vaccination against pertussis in epidemiological and economic terms. The estimation was based on available epidemiological data linked to an obligatory vaccination programme and morbidity in the Polish population. The economic evaluation included data on funds spent on the purchase of vaccines and the cost of outpatient and hospital treatment of patients spent from the state budget. The analysis of epidemiological data confirmed that the decrease in the level of vaccination of the population in combination with shortening the time of immunization resulted in an increase in the incidence of whooping cough. Economic analysis showed that the costs associated with the implementation of a vaccination program are lower than the direct costs of treatment of pertussis per patient. Vaccinations should be a fundamental tool in the fight against infectious diseases despite emerging reports of adverse events or evasion of vaccination. There are economic and epidemiological arguments for broadening the scope of vaccination against pertussis as well as extending the vaccination calendar by inclusion of currently recommended (not financed by the state) vaccines.