OR in Public Health: A Little Help Can Go a Long Way

When deciding which programs to invest in, public health decision makers face a number of challenges including limited resources, competing objectives (e.g., maximize health, achieve equity), and limited information about uncertain events. Despite these difficulties, public health planners must make choices about which programs they will invest in—and the quality of these choices affects the health benefits achieved in the population. To support good decisions, information about the likely costs and health consequences of alternative interventions is needed. This is where OR-based modeling can play a role: by providing a structured framework that uses the best available evidence, imperfect as it may be, and that captures relevant uncertainties, complexities, and interactions, OR-based models can be used to evaluate the potential impact of alternative public health programs. This chapter describes modeling efforts in which OR has played and can play a role in informing public health decision making. We describe work in three areas: hepatitis B control, HIV control, and bioterrorism preparedness and response. We conclude with a discussion of lessons learned.