Economic Evaluation of Treatment Strategies for Depression in Ethiopia

Major depressive disorder is a significant health issue worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Ethiopia. This thesis uses quality-of-life measurement methods and economic modelling to help identify cost-effective treatment strategies for depression care in Ethiopia. It highlights concerns with the most commonly used quality-of-life measure, the EQ-5D-5L, particularly when combining anxiety and depression in a single question. This suggests the need for alternative health outcome measures tailored to Ethiopia's mental health context. The model-based economic evaluation identified psychotherapy as a cost-effective option for depression care in Ethiopia, with combined psychotherapy and drug therapy emerging as another cost-effective alternative.