BACKGROUND: Mental health survey data are now being used proactively to decide how the burden of disease might best be reduced. AIMS: To study the cost-effectiveness of current and optimal treatments for mental disorders and the proportion of burden avertable by each. METHOD: Data for three affective, four anxiety and two alcohol use disorders and for schizophrenia were compared interms of cost, burden averted and efficiency of current and optimal treatment. We then calculated the burden unavertable given current knowledge. The unit of health gain was a reduction in the years lived with disability (YLDs). RESULTS: Summing across all disorders, current treatment averted 13% of the burden, at an average cost of 30,000 Australian dollars per YLD gained. Optimal treatment at current coverage could avert 20% of the burden, at an average cost of 18,000 Australian dollars per YLD gained. Optimal treatment at optimal coverage could avert 28% of the burden, at 16,000 Australian dollars per YLD gained. Sixty per cent of the burden of mental disorders was deemed to be unavertable. CONCLUSIONS: The efficiency of treatment varied more than tenfold across disorders. Although coverage of some of the more efficient treatments should be extended, other factors justify continued use of less-efficient treatments for some disorders.
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