Primary Submission Category: Interventions/Programs
Micro-costing evaluation of high-risk teen driving intervention study
Authors: Rachel Mason, Eric Seiber, Dominique Rose, Priyanka Sridharan, Cindy Sieck, Lindsay Sullivan, Ginger Yang,
Presenting Author: Rachel Mason*
Introduction
Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States. Teen drivers who have committed a traffic violation are at an even greater risk of MVC-related injuries and deaths as compared to their counterparts. Our intervention study, Steering Teens Safe (STS+), which translates evidence-based parent-engagement intervention methods to an understudied but high-risk population of teen drivers with a traffic violation, seeks to improve safe teen driving practices with increased parent engagement. We used microcosting to evaluate the costs of expert led vs peer led STS+ implementation to (1) estimate end of project cost effectiveness and (2) inform future efforts to implement STS+ in programmatic applications.
Methods
Monthly purchases and time associated with study activities were entered via REDCap for the two intervention sites (Nationwide Children’s Hospital and University of Iowa). Estimates of hourly salaries with fringe benefits for study staff were used to operationalize time-costs (e.g., travel to court for recruitment, intervention-related meetings, development of materials, etc.)
Results
The total cost estimate for STS+’s implementation between August 2022 and December 2024 is $199,365.51, with the highest expense spend on travel time ($23,726.40). Start-up cost estimates, comprised of adapting peer training and hiring an expert trainer, were estimated to be $1881.22. Expert training, comprised of initial sessions, booster sessions, and equipment purchases, were estimated to be $74,099.41. Peer training, which included recruitment, enrollment, and delivery of sessions and follow-ups, as well as equipment purchases were estimated to be $6,838.80. Participant support, including recruitment, enrollment, equipment installation/uninstallation, and travel time, amounted to $116,546.08.
Discussion
Findings reveal that the cost of expert training substantially exceed that of the peer-training arm. Future analyses after completion of the clinical trial will determine the relative cost-effectiveness of Expert Led versus Peer Led STS+. Limitations of the study include time estimates were derived from self-report and general underestimates of time due to the team having already conducted three prior studies on STS.