HP425 Half Unit
Statistical Methods in Health Care Economic Evaluation
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Ranjeeta Thomas
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Global Health Policy, MSc in Health Data Science, MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing, MSc in International Health Policy and MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics). This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to Apply
Priority for enrolment in Health Policy (HP) courses will be given to students from the Department of Health Policy, especially where the course is listed in their Programme Regulations.
Any remaining places will be offered to students from other departments who have HP courses listed in their Programme Regulations, and then on a first-come, first-served basis.
By submitting an application, you confirm that you meet any specified prerequisites.
Written statements will not be considered and will not affect your chances of being accepted onto a course.
Application opens: 10am on Thursday 25 September 2025
Do not apply before this time. Please make your selection as soon as possible once course selection opens.
Offers will be made by: 12pm (noon) on Monday 29 September 2025
For queries:
- Course content: Contact the Course Leader listed on the course guide.
- Application process: Email the Programmes Team at healthpolicy@lse.ac.uk
Requisites
Additional requisites:
This course assumes knowledge of elementary mathematics and statistics. It is envisaged to be complementary to HP422 (Health Care Economic Evaluation) and HP426 (Applied Health Econometrics). Students who wish to take HP425 are strongly advised to take both HP422 and HP426 courses in the Autumn Term.
Students who wish to take HP425, but who have not taken an introductory university course in statistics or econometrics, may wish to consider auditing MY451 (Introduction to Quantitative Analysis) in Autumn Term in order to prepare themselves for this course. Students who are unsure whether they have the requisite background are encouraged to approach the Lecturer before the start of Winter Term.
Course content
This course develops the statistical and modelling techniques necessary to apply economic evaluation to the health care sector. Introduction to random variables and probability distribution, linear regression analysis, logistic regression analysis, survival analysis for health outcomes, survival analysis for treatment costs, parametric and non-parametric approaches for missing data, economic evaluation and clinical trials. Estimation of confidence intervals for cost-effectiveness ratios. Transformation of ratios - net benefit approach. Presentation of results, acceptability curves.
Teaching
This course will be delivered through a combination of lectures and workshops totalling a minimum 30 hours during Winter Term. Students will also take part in computer workshops to complete problem datasets and practice key skills from the course.
Formative assessment
1000 word essay
Indicative reading
A full reading list is provided at the start of the course. The course makes use of selected parts of the following texts:
- M Drummond & A McGuire (eds), Economic Evaluation in Health Care: Merging Theory with Practice, OUP, 2001.
- D Machin, YB Cheung & MKB Parmar, Survival analysis: a practical approach, 2nd edn, Wiley, 2006.
- J Klein & M Moeschberger, Survival Analysis: Techniques for Censored and Truncated Data, 2nd edn, Springer, 2005.
- M Cleves, W Gould, R Gutierrez & Y Marchenko, An Introduction to Survival Analysis Using Stata, 3rd edn, Stata, 2010.
- M Drummond, M Schulpher, K Claxton, G Stoddart & G Torrance, Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes, 4th edn, OUP, 2015.
- M Gold, J Siegel, L Russell & M Weinstein, Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine, OUP, 1996.
- M Johannesson, Theory and Methods of Economic Evaluation of Health Care, Kluwer, 1996.
- P Johansson, Evaluating Health Risks: An Economic Approach, CUP, 1995.
Assessment
Project (100%, 4000 words)
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 49
Average class size 2024/25: 16
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Specialist skills