A model to estimate the cost benefit of an occupational vaccination programme for influenza with Influvac^® in the UK.

Authors: R Das Gupta & JF Guest.
Source: Pharmacoeconomics 2002; 20(7): 475-484.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To model the economic impact of introducing an occupational vaccination programme for influenza with an inactivated influenza subunit vaccine (Influvac^®) in the UK.

Design and setting: Using published sources, a decision tree was constructed which modelled the costs and benefits of introducing an influenza vaccine in a business in the UK from the perspective of an employer.

Study participants and interventions: The model considered the implementation of an occupational vaccination programme with Influvac^® in a business employing 1000 normal healthy adults earning the national average wage in the UK. The model assumed that 95% of employees would be absent from work after contracting influenza for a mean of 5 days and that the level of productivity would be reduced by 60% for one day by 85% of sick employees returning to work.

Main outcome measures and results: The expected probability of an employee being absent from work following an influenza vaccination would be reduced from 5.7 to 1.8% when the incidence of influenza in the community is 6%. Accordingly, if all 1000 employees were vaccinated, a business would be expected to reduce absenteeism from work attributable to an influenza outbreak by 220 days. Moreover, the expected return on every pound invested by an employer would be £1.03, £3.09 and £5.15 (2000 values) when the annual incidence of influenza in the community is 2, 6 and 10%, respectively.

Conclusions: Implementation of an occupational vaccination programme with Influvac^® would be expected to reduce the incidence of influenza among a workforce leading to less absenteeism from work and averted lost productivity. Even if the incidence of influenza was as low as 2% it may be a worthwhile investment for UK employers to vaccinate their employees with Influvac^®.