A pilot economic evaluation of a feasibility trial for SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR Befriending (SUPERB) for post stroke aphasi

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of a full economic evaluation of usual care plus peer-befriending
versus usual care control, and potential cost-effectiveness of peer-befriending for people with
aphasia. To report initial costs, ease of instruments’ completion and overall data completeness.
Design: Pilot economic evaluation within a feasibility randomised controlled trial
Setting: Community, England
Participants: People with post-stroke aphasia and low levels of psychological distress
Intervention: All participants received usual care; intervention participants received six peerbefriending visits between randomisation and four months
Main measures: Costs were collected on the stroke-adapted Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI)
for health, social care and personal out-of-pocket expenditure arising from care for participants and
carers at 4- and 10-months post-randomisation. Health gains and costs were reported using the
General Health Questionnaire-12 and the EQ-5D-5L. Mean (CI) differences for costs and health gains
were reported and uncertainty represented using non-parametric bootstrapping and costeffectiveness acceptability curves.
Results: 56 participants were randomised. Mean age was 70.1 (SD 13.4). Most (n=37, 66%) had mild
and many (n=14; 25%) severe aphasia. There was ≥94% completion of CSRI questions. Peerbefriending was higher in intervention arm (p<0.01) but there were no significant differences in total
costs between trial arms. Peer-befriending visits costed on average £57.24 (including training and
supervision costs). The probability of peer-befriending being cost-effective ranged 39% to 66%.
Conclusions: Economic data can be collected from participants with post-stroke aphasia, indicating a
full economic evaluation within a definitive trial is feasible. A larger study is needed to demonstrate
further cost-effectiveness of peer-befriending.