Effectiveness of a socially adapted intervention in reducing social inequalities in adolescence weight. The PRALIMAP-INÈS school-based mixed trial

Economic evaluation of a school-based strategy to prevent overweight and obesity in French adolescents: insights from the PRALIMAP randomised trial

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to provide cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses of a school-based overweight/obesity screening and care prevention strategy among adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses.

METHODS

Data from 3538 adolescents who participated in a school-based randomised controlled trial in the Northeast of France were used. Costs (from a public payer's perspective) included screening for overweight and obesity and subsequent care. Effectiveness was measured as the change in body mass index (kilogram per square metre), prevalence of overweight/obesity, moderate physical activity energy expenditure, duration and frequency and total sitting time. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated, and a budget impact analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

The screening and care strategy resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €1634.48 per averted case of overweight/obesity and €255.43 per body mass index unit decrease. The costs for increasing moderate physical activity by 1000 metabolic equivalent of task-min/week, duration by 60 min/week and frequency 1 day/week were €165.28, €39.21 and €93.66 per adolescent, respectively. Decreasing total sitting time by 60 min/week had a cost of €8.49 per adolescent. The cost of implementing the strategy nationally was estimated to be €50.1 million with a payback period from 3.6 to 7.3 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The screening and care strategy could be an efficient way to prevent overweight and obesity among adolescents. Future studies should investigate how the current results could be achieved in schools with different settings and thus justify its relevance for overweight and obesity prevention to policy-makers.

[Theoretical and practical challenges of proportionate universalism: a reviewAnálise dos desafios teóricos e práticos de universalismo proporcional]

OBJECTIVE

In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it. The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues.

METHODS

We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning "Proportionate Universalism" or its synonyms "Targeted universalism" OR "Progressive Universalism" as a topic in all Web of Science databases.

RESULTS

This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs.

CONCLUSION

This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.

Theoretical and practical challenges of proportionate universalism: a review

OBJECTIVE

In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it.The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues.

METHODS

We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning "Proportionate Universalism" or its synonyms "Targeted universalism" OR "Progressive Universalism" as a topic in all Web of Science databases.

RESULTS

This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs.

CONCLUSION

This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.