Executive summary: This report updates a previous analysis on the cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy for depression in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It finds psychotherapy leads to substantial wellbeing improvements that last over time, with effects varying based on program specifics.
Key points:
Updated meta-analysis of 74 studies finds psychotherapy improves wellbeing by 0.7 standard deviations, a benefit of 2.69 WELLBYs per person.
Household spillover effects are smaller than previously estimated, at 16% of the direct effect.
For StrongMinds, updated estimate is 30 WELLBYs per $1000 donated. For Friendship Bench, initial estimate is 58 WELLBYs per $1000.
StrongMinds now estimated as 3.7 times more cost-effective than cash transfers in terms of WELLBYs. Friendship Bench is 7 times more cost-effective.
New methodology uses Bayesian updating to combine general psychotherapy evidence with charity-specific factors.
Overall quality of evidence is judged as moderate, with uncertainty around household spillovers and charity-specific effects.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: This report updates a previous analysis on the cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy for depression in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It finds psychotherapy leads to substantial wellbeing improvements that last over time, with effects varying based on program specifics.
Key points:
Updated meta-analysis of 74 studies finds psychotherapy improves wellbeing by 0.7 standard deviations, a benefit of 2.69 WELLBYs per person.
Household spillover effects are smaller than previously estimated, at 16% of the direct effect.
For StrongMinds, updated estimate is 30 WELLBYs per $1000 donated. For Friendship Bench, initial estimate is 58 WELLBYs per $1000.
StrongMinds now estimated as 3.7 times more cost-effective than cash transfers in terms of WELLBYs. Friendship Bench is 7 times more cost-effective.
New methodology uses Bayesian updating to combine general psychotherapy evidence with charity-specific factors.
Overall quality of evidence is judged as moderate, with uncertainty around household spillovers and charity-specific effects.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.