Economic evaluation of short message service intervention for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men in China: a modelling study

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) globally face a high risk of HIV infection. Previous studies indicate that customized short message service (SMS) interventions could reduce high-risk behaviors that associated with HIV transmission. This study aims to evaluate the health and economic impacts of such interventions among MSM in China.

Methods: A decision tree-Markov model was developed for a simulated cohort of 100,000 MSM of 20 years old. We assessed three intervention strategies: (1) routine strategy with standard health information; (2) SMS strategy with customized messages based on individual high-risk behaviors, with 50.1% efficacy and 50% coverage; (3) LEN-LA (lenacapavir long-acting) strategy as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), with 100% efficacy lasting for 0.5-year and 50% coverage. The study period was 45 years. Primary outcomes included the number of HIV infections and HIV-related deaths. The cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses were conducted along with sensitivity analyses from the healthcare sector perspective.

Results: The SMS strategy was more effective, averting 6,191 (22.0%) HIV infections and 2,100 (38.5%) HIV-related deaths when compared with routine strategy. The average cost-effectiveness ratios (ACERs) were US$6,361 (95% CI: 5,959-6,613) per HIV infection averted and US$18,752 (95% CI: 17,274 - 20,530) per HIV-related death averted. It had incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of US$1,743 (95% CI: 1,673-1,799) per QALY, with a benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 1.98 (95% CI: 1.94-2.02), compared with routine strategy. While the LEN-LA strategy may be the most effective, its high cost, coupled with the highest ICER, currently presents a considerable obstacle to its widespread adoption. The ICERs were most affected by the probability of HIV infection, intervention cost and coverage.

Conclusions: SMS strategy for preventing HIV among MSM in China is cost-effective and could be a promising strategy for HIV prevention. These findings may have implications for public health policy and resource allocation in HIV prevention efforts targeting high-risk populations.