Eliminating hepatitis B in remote Indigenous settings: generating health economic evidence

Eliminating hepatitis B in remote Indigenous settings: generating health economic evidence

https://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/available-projects/accordion-projects/health-and-medicine/area/menzies-institute-of-medical-research/eliminating-hepatitis-b-in-remote-indigenous-settings-generating-health-economic-evidence

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is endemic across Northern Territory (NT) Indigenous communities with prevalence up to five times the national rate. One in four people with CHB will die from decompensated cirrhosis or liver cancer without appropriate care and treatment. In turn, liver disease is the third leading factor contributing to the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Awareness of CHB status has been poor in the NT (and nationally), with 61% of people with CHB being diagnosed and just 3% receiving antiviral treatment: well below the targets set in the Third National Hepatitis B Strategy (80% of CHB cases diagnosed and 20% receiving antiviral treatment). In 2017, the NHMRC funded the Hep B PAST Project to eliminate CHB from Indigenous Australians in the NT. This is being achieved through improvement of CHB health literacy amongst participating Indigenous communities and healthcare providers; and transition of CHB care to a co-ordinated primary health care based chronic disease model.

Preliminary results have demonstrated a highly effective model of care, with 90% of participants aware of their CHB status, and 17% receiving antiviral treatment. Based on this, the NHMRC has funded a project commencing in 2022 to generate the health economic evidence to support this new model of care to be implemented across the NT. The work conducted for this PhD will play a critical role in addressing the aims of this project:  

1: Quantify costs of the Hep B PAST model of care and the status quo approach to CHB care across the NT;

              2: Quantify the health state utility values for hepatitis B health states;

               3. Develop and validate a health economic disease simulation model for hepatitis B for

                  Indigenous communities;

               4: Project clinical outcomes of the Hep B PAST model of care versus the status quo up to 2035;

                5: Assess the cost-effectiveness of introducing the Hep B PAST model of care as standard 

                 practice across the NT.

Funding

The successful applicant will receive a scholarship which provides:

• a living allowance stipend funded by NHMRC of $28,854 per annum (2022 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
• a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

International applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Additional essential eligibility criteria specific to this project:

• Applicants must be able to undertake the project on-campus

Selection Criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded.  Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:

• Preference for an Indigenous candidate
• Experience in health services research, health economic evaluations and/or Indigenous health research

Application process

After checking and ensuring that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria contact the project supervisor.