Health economics analysis of vaccine prioritisation strategies for individuals with multiple long term conditions
Supervisors:
Prof Nazir Lone, Usher Institute (School of Population Health Sciences), University of Edinburgh
Dr Steven Kerr, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh
Prof Colin McCowan, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews
Mr Benedict Leonard-Hawkhead, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews
Summary:
Vaccination programmes for seasonal respiratory infections play an important role in protecting people at higher risk of severe illness, particularly those living with multiple long-term health conditions. However, current vaccine prioritisation strategies are mainly based on age or single medical conditions, and may not fully reflect the combined risks faced by people with multimorbidity.
This project will use linked healthcare data from Scotland to study how well current vaccination strategies work in people with multiple health conditions, including conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and mental health problems. It will assess how effective and safe vaccines are in these groups, and whether benefits differ depending on combinations of conditions, medication use, and levels of frailty.
The research will also examine whether current vaccine prioritisation approaches are efficient and fair, or whether alternative strategies could better target those at highest risk while improving overall health outcomes. A particular focus will be on inequalities, including how vaccination effectiveness and access vary by socioeconomic background. We will use cost effectiveness analysis to estimate what the optimal vaccine prioritisation strategies are.