Getting a grip on the effect of preventive public health interventions – A study of the economic benefits of subsidized ice cleats

Abstract

Purpose: This thesis studies an ice cleat subsidy programme for seniors introduced in 2018 by Region Jönköping in Sweden. The aim of the study is to examine whether the subsidy was a cost-effective way of decreasing the number of Emergency room (ER) visits caused by snow and ice related fall injuries for seniors. Methods: Data from Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition (STRADA) is used for a Difference-in-Differences (DID) analysis to investigate whether the ice cleat subsidy reduces the number of ER visits. The cost-effectiveness of the subsidy is studied through an Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) analysis. Results: The cost-effectiveness analysis concludes that the subsidy could be cost-effective if it prevents 1,75% of the ER visits. The DID analysis reports a 20% decrease in ER visits, however the decrease is statistically insignificant. Conclusions: The question whether a large-scale ice-cleat subsidy programme is cost-effective remains unanswered.